Gone too Soon
by PierraEverlastRose
Summary: The inevitable has happened and Spencer Reid has been killed in action. Five months later a new female agent is coming in taking his place. An agent who seems to know more about the death of the agent she's replacing. Soon everyone starts to see him and they think they are just seeing things. Are they really? Is he really dead or just hiding? Or is there something bigger at play?
1. Playing with Fire

**Gone too Soon**

 _A Criminal Minds fanfic. The events of this story take place in season seven. The first chapter almost right away in the season._

 _The inevitable has happened and Dr. Spencer Reid has been killed . . . in action. When he goes in to talk down an unsub he finds himself in the one place he never thought of. Now five months later a new female agent is coming in taking his place. An agent who seems to maybe know more about the death of the fellow agent she's replacing. But soon everyone starts seeing and hallucinating their deceased comrade. They start to think they are just seeing things but are they really? Is he actually dead or is he hiding in the shadows waiting to come out? Or is there something bigger at play here?_

* * *

 **Chapter 1** Playing with Fire

The BAU team was all in the FBI with most of them in the bullpen. The only ones that weren't there were Hotch and Rossi as they have their own offices. Well technically so does Derek Morgan but he goes out of it often to talk with his friends and co-workers.

While everyone was talking which happened to be JJ, Penelope, Emily and Derek while Reid was playing his fingers against the cup of coffee in his hand. He was a little jittery as he kept looking up at the others when they snatched glances at him. But when they looked away he would be looking at the cup or at the floor. He felt on edge.

"You okay Reid?" wondered JJ from the side as she looked at him

He looked up as the others were all looking at him as they noticed that something was off. He couldn't exactly tell them what it was because they wouldn't conform to it especially in a heartbeat. They would be against it actually if they knew the actual truth.

"Just thinking." said Spencer right there

"About what?" wondered Penelope Garcia as she looked at him as well

But before he could answer and say anything both Hotch and Rossi came in the room. Hotch was holding a case folder. It was an indication saying that they have a case. So Reid and the others all got up following them to the conference room. They all sat down in their usual spots at the table or close to their usual spots if possible. They all opened the tablets while in Spencer Reid's case a manila folder.

"Okay Garcia." said Hotch

Garcia jumped up kind of like a bunny and went right over to the screen as she grabbed the remote. She clicked a button as pictures appeared and filled on the screen. There were pictures of about four places on fire.

"Okay so as of right now there have been four buildings all around that have been set on fire. There are no casualty's but there are people who are seriously hurt. We got called in on the case because it is now a serial arsonist or so that's what it seems." said Garcia right there

"And where is this located?" wondered Emily

"Right here in Washington DC." said Garcia as she clicked on another button "The houses are scorched and badly burned that they are afraid this is going to happen again. The need our help."

"Four places torched and burned up right here. Why haven't wee been asked sooner to be a part of this case?" wondered Derek as he looked around

"Well they thought this was all several different people at the time until they found a marker or an MO that says otherwise that it is the work of just one person." told Hotch right there

"Yes this right here." told Garcia as a new picture was put on the screen of a room with a circle on the ground where there was a metal hoop melted in the ground and it was not burnt inside. She then brought up more pictures that looked exactly the same at three other places "That's the ignition point."

"That's interesting. Do they know what that is exactly?" wondered Derek

"Unfortunately, no. But the CSI's are on it." replied Garcia

"Alright JJ do you think you can take a look and see if there are other cases similar in other states and look for that marking in particular. It will be a dead giveaway." said Hotch

"Yeah of course." said JJ

"Emily you are going to come with me to the police station and we are going to get started on the profile." Hotch continued

"I will get everything together." said Emily Prentiss as she looked up from her tablet

"Then Derek, Rossi and Reid I want you to go to the last location of the fire there might be something there that can help. I would also like you to talk to witnesses that are still there." finished Hotch

"Alright let's go." said Rossi

Everyone got up and went out of the conference room as they grabbed their things and the stuff that they need. They went in separate FBI cars as Hotch, Emily and JJ went into one to the police station as JJ was going to do her searching there, while Derek, Rossi and Reid took the other FBI van to go to the last location of the fire.

They got to the location and stopped. Three doors to the van opened up as they all got out. Rossi got out from the driver's seat, Derek from the passenger's seat and Reid from the back. They closed the doors and they walked the streets as they got to the building. It was really burnt to a crisp as it looked like nothing was salvageable.

They went inside as they looked all around the place. Reid stood in one place as he couldn't believe it. So many got burnt and hurt by the fire that was here. They didn't lose their lives but it's going to greatly affect them. He walked through rubble that was around.

"Hey pretty boy." said Derek

"Yeah." said Spencer

"Are you sure you're okay?" wondered Derek

"Yeah I'm fine." replied Spencer

All of a sudden there was a blaze of sounds coming from a building nearby. The three of them looked at each other and got out of the building. Two buildings down there was a fire coming out of it.

"What the!" shouted Derek

"Who's doing this?" wondered Rossi

"I think he's still in there." said Spencer as he started going in

"What are you doing Reid?" shouted Derek to him "Reid! Reid! Come back here!"

But Spencer ignored him and went inside the building leaving the other two agents flabbergasted. A couple seconds later there was a line of people coming out but there was no Spencer Reid. Derek and Rossi looked at each other not believing this. Derek put his hand to the holster and started walking towards the building.

A sound erupted and a blast in front of them as the whole building instead of bursting into flames everywhere burst into a flame bomb. The whole building was gone. They stood there waiting and waiting for their friend to come out. But as the minutes went on he didn't come.

"Reid! Reid!" shouted Derek as he went to the building

Derek and Rossi ran to the building as a crowd of people appeared. They started walking all around the place where there was rubble everywhere and things were in flames scattered around. They looked around but didn't find anyone there.

"Here!" shouted Rossi from the side "There's someone here."

"Reid!" shouted Derek going over and took the debris off the body

There was a body there burnt to a crisp. It looked hard that they couldn't identify it. But they noticed something around the waist. They leaned down as it was a holster and they found a something right by it. A small black book, Rossi grabbed it and opened it up.

"Oh god." said Rossi at what he saw

"Rossi no. No. Please no." said Derek right there

"I'm sorry. It's . . . it's . . ." Rossi's voice cracked right there "It's Spencer."

"No he wouldn't. He couldn't. He can't. This can't." stuttered Derek

"We have to call the others." replied Rossi

The two of them were there as tears came out of their eyes crying over their deceased comrade, co-worker and friend. They just lost a really great man. A really smart guy. They couldn't handle or cope at all.

All of a sudden there were noises of ambulances and police cars coming. The other FBI car came. Out came Agents Hotchner, JJ, Emily and even Penelope came out as well. They walked over as they saw Rossi and Derek there with sad, depressed looks.

"Morgan, Rossi!" shouted Hotch as all of them came over

"Where's Reid?" wondered Penelope

Rossi and Derek shared a look not knowing what to say or how to say it. Derek was over by the body just wanting to be there right by it as close he could but he found a piece of broken wall where his head was leaned against it. Rossi was in an open space with his knees up and he was scratching the back of his head.

"Guys where's, Reid?" asked Emily right there

"He's . . ." started Rossi but his voice cracked as he was holding Spencer's FBI credentials badge "We found this."

"What is it?" wondered JJ looking at it

"It's Spencer's." said Rossi then looked at the body right by Derek as the others all looked over at it "He's . . ."

"No!" shouted Penelope as she started running over but JJ kept her back

All four of them looked at the body at lost for words. It couldn't be. Their world was practically crashing down. They lost what they thought was Emily Prentiss but it was a hoax. But now they lost an actual agent and this time it was real. They were all there in their spots as the police and firemen came over.

.


	2. 5 Months Later

**Gone too Soon**

 **Chapter 2** 5 Months Later

The BAU was in the bullpen at the moment and everyone got up from where they were. They went over to the wall as they were putting up a new picture of the deceased FBI agents. They ended up putting Spencer Reid's picture. They all stood there crying and silently weeping. They lost a good friend, a good co-worker and a good agent. They buried him four months and two weeks ago.

Derek put his hand and arm up to Penelope's shoulders wrapping it around her. They were dealing with this the hardest out of everyone. The others were also dealing with it as well. They were sad about it.

"It's been five months and it still hurts." said Emily right there

"He was a great guy." said JJ

"A great younger brother." said Derek

"A great agent." said Rossi

"He should have never lost his life. He was only twenty nine years old. He was taken to soon." said Hotch right there

"We should have pulled him back and not let him go in the building." said Derek right there

"Excuse me." said a female voice to the side as a young female came over "I'm looking for Agent Hotchner."

"That would be me." said Hotch turning

"Hi I'm Jill Zellner I was told to report to you." said Jill

"Uh yeah follow me." Said Hotch

Jill smiled as she started walking with Hotch but then stopped. She looked and saw what the others were all looking at. It was a picture of an agent she noticed that just died. She let her eyes linger for a moment then continued walking and went into Hotch's office.

"How old do you think she was?" wondered JJ

"I'd say twenty-two or twenty-three." said Penelope

"Yeah she looks really young." said Emily right there

In the office Hotch closed the door and locked it as Jill stood in front of the desk. Hotch went over and sat on his chair and indicated for her to sit down as well. She took off her white side bag and put it on the ground and sat on the chair opposite him.

"I wasn't expecting you this early." said Hotch to her

"I was told to come in next month but I had everything moved here already so I thought I'd come in today and see you. I hope that's okay." said Jill as she set her stuff in front of her

"From what I've read you're quite impressive with a 175 IQ and you have Hyperthymesia as I can tell. You have degrees in correct me if I'm wrong an MA in Sociology and Statistics and Doctorates in Linguistic Anthropology and Chemical Engineering." said Agent Hotchner as walked around the desk

"Yes and I'm a certified naturalist as well." told Jill right there as she looked in front of her

"You graduated high school when you were thirteen in Minnesota." said Hotch as he read her file

"I was born in Grand Marais but I grew up in Brooklyn Park." responded Jill

"Why did you choose to go the FBI route with anything you can do with that extensive knowledge?" wondered Hotch as he sat down on top of his desk

"Knowledge can only go far as it can go although a lot is documented you need to actually do it to really understand what they are saying. I want to create and do well with the knowledge that I possess. I want to know that I am the difference to the world." said Jill

"It says here that you worked briefly under the Counterintelligence Division until they could officially place you." said Hotch right there

"Yeah when I was at the academy I was top ranked and they didn't know what to do with me so they put me on an undecided path. They told me to start there for only two months and then I could decide what I wanted to do after that. I thought about a profiler. I know that's not how the system typically goes but I was a unique case." replied Jill

"Alright look I know you don't start until next month but what do you think of a trial run. We have a case and you can work it with us and see how well you work and meld with the rest of us." said Hotch

"Sounds fine." responded Jill

"Alright follow me." said Hotch as he got up from the desk

Jill got up from the chair as she followed Hotch out of his office and to the bullpen. They walked past it and entered the conference room. The two of them stood there as the rest of the BAU team entered the conference room and sat down at chairs.

"Everyone this is Jill Zellner. She will be joining the BAU team next month but I asked her to join us and do a trial case. I want to see how well she works with this team before she officially joins." said Hotch

"Hi." everyone muttered from around the table

"How old are you?" asked Penelope right out of the blue

"Twenty-two years old." said Jill as she looked at all of them

"Jill this is the team we have Penelope Garcia." Penelope put her hand up "David Rossi, Jennifer Jareau, Emily Prentiss and Derek Morgan." said Hotch as he pointed to everyone "Okay we got everyone let's get to our case."

Penelope got up from the chair grabbing the remote. She clicked a button as pictures came up of multiple fires. The clicked another button and a picture popped up of a fire in a van and surrounding it.

"We have multiple fires in Dale City, Virginia. The last one was last night at ten. And I know this is going to be tough for everyone." said Penelope right there "But we're going to have to keep it together."

"Are there any deaths?" asked JJ as she looked down at the pad in front of her

"There are two deaths and one in critical condition. Theodore Hayes and Betsy Rodgers were the two deaths and Gail Nixon is the one in critical condition." told Penelope as she brought pictures up on the screen for the others

"God that's terrible. Gail is covered in blisters with both second and third degree burns all around her." said Rossi as he looked at the picture

"They aren't sure if she is going to make it." told Penelope to them "Only time will tell."

"So is every fire in a car?" wondered Emily

"A car, boat, van, camper anything that is mobile or via transportation that's on public property. Anything in that sense is a possible target. We hope it doesn't get to a public bus or a train of some sort. We need to make sure it doesn't go public transportation or else there might be a panic." exclaimed Penelope

"We've got our work for us." Muttered Rossi as he moved

"Okay let's separate. Rossi, JJ I want the two of you to go to the hospital talk to the staff and see if you can get anything from Gail Nixon. I know that it will tough but at least try. Derek can you go to the sight of the last fire it will still be taped off as it's a new scene. Emily you will be coming with me to the police station we're going to get started on the profile there. Penelope can you look for possible locations and targets and I also need you to look into the backgrounds of the three unfortunate victims." said Hotch

"Uh Hotch what about me?" wondered Jill as she put her hand up

"You can come with me and Emily I'm actually going to transfer you to Rossi and JJ to the hospital." said Hotch

"Of course." responded Emily

All of them got off the chairs and got up as they left. Derek left sultry and with a stoic face. The others were all in a strange mood. Jill stood there as she noticed the looks and the response when the case involved fire and arson. She crossed her arms.

"What was that all about? What did she mean by it going to be tough?" wondered Jill as she looked at them

"We lost an FBI agent five months ago to a fire in a building he was burnt to a crisp beyond recognition." told Hotch as he grabbed the stuff on the table that was left there

"I'm so sorry." said Jill

"It's still hard for all of them even me." replied Hotch

"It was that guy in the picture I went past when I came in earlier wasn't it?" said Jill

"It was his name was Dr. Spencer Reid. He was one in a million. You guys would have gotten along quite well if he hadn't died." said Hotch grabbing the last of everything on the table "Alright let's go we need to get to the police station at Dale City."

* * *

Derek Morgan was in an FBI car supposed to be heading to the scene of the last fire. But he ended up going in a different direction as he got to the cemetery and drove in. He kept driving until he got to a location far in it and stopped the car by a tree. He sighed as he looked out the front windshield window and rubbed his face with his hands.

The moment he found his best friend and fellow agent dead his world came crumbling down. It forever changed him. He punched the steering wheel furious at everything. He just wants to punch everything in the world. It only causes harm, pain and suffering. It does this to everyone he ever loved and cared about as he grew up.

He feels like he's crazy and going insane. He doesn't even know if his best friend little brother still with him. He doesn't know who he is anymore. He doesn't know what to do. He has so many thoughts in his head that he doesn't know how to contemplate them. He's just missing something. He doesn't know what's right or wrong. He doesn't know what his heart is telling him anymore.

He unbuckled his seat belt and opened the car door. He stepped out and closed the door behind him. He started walking in going past graves. He kept walking while lost in his thoughts. He wasn't paying attention that he didn't hear and rustling that happened around him. Every step he took was slow and it was like a heartbeat that was going.

He finally got to where he was going. He stopped at a headstone and kneeled down in front of it. He looked at the fresh engraving. He set his hand on the name of Spencer Reid's. The tears were coming back falling down hitting the grass.

"That should have never happened to you. I should have done something to get you out or just pull you back before you went in." said Derek as the words came out of him as the tears became bigger and starting to create a waterfall like effect "It really shouldn't have. You missed you're thirtieth birthday do you realize that. You were too young to get taken away from us."

He knows that his best friend should have never been taken at all. This hurts him and affects him more than the others. He was the one who was closest with Spencer. They would talk about all sorts of things. They would kid around and play pranks on each other. They were like a dysfunctional family that still loved each other.

"I hope you can hear every word I'm saying to you. I hope that you are in a great place right now. Did you know we never found out who set those fires? We will find the guy who did this to you. I promise you." said Derek right to the grave and headstone in front of him "The guy will get his justice for killing you for killing a federal agent. If only this didn't happen to you, you would still be here with me, with us, the rest the BAU team."

He knows that it might be weird talking to a headstone and grave. But it was the only thing that was keeping him sane at the moment. It didn't make him angry or pissed. It still makes him sad but it calms him down more than anything knowing that he's close to him.

"We just got a new team member who's replacing you. I don't know about her quite yet but I can see a bit of you in her already. You might like her buddy." said Derek as he continued on "I don't know how to continue on without you."

He sighed as he looked up and to his surprise he saw an apparition of his best friend and co-worker. He got up from the ground and brushed off the grass from his knees. He looked straight ahead at him. He saw Spencer Reid standing there in front of him behind the headstone of his own grave. He looked completely normal.


	3. From the Grave

**Gone too Soon**

 **Chapter 3** From the Grave

Derek's eyes widened as an illusion of Dr. Spencer Reid was in front of him. Spencer looked fine, healthy and unscathed by the fire. Spencer was smiling right at him and Derek forward.

"Are you an illusion, a figment of my imagination?" wondered Derek

"I am whatever you want me to be." said Spencer

"So you're not real then?" replied Derek

"Yes I died in the fire. I'm only here because you were thinking of me. I'm still with you Morgan wherever you are hold on to that we're going to see each other again one day." told Spencer

"Reid don't leave me." said Derek

"I won't. I won't ever leave you." replied Spencer

"You were the best little brother anyone could ask for. I loved you. I don't know if you ever knew that." muttered Derek as he stood by the grave

"I knew you didn't need to say anything for me to know." said Spencer

"Everyone misses you. It was Penelope and I who took it the worse. When Gideon heard he took it just as hard. You were almost like a son to him." told Derek right there

"I'm always here." said Spencer while standing in place fighting the urge "All of you are keeping me alive within yourselves."

"It's still not the same without you." muttered Derek to the grave "It never will be with you being gone, dead."

"You will always be a big brother to me Morgan." replied Spencer

"But if you are here talking with me why aren't you burnt? You were burnt to make you indefinable. It was your black FBI credentials badge that helped us know that was your body." wondered Derek

"It's heaven anything it possible. It helps one heal and here, I'm just . . . I'm just Spencer Reid." exclaimed Spencer

"You look great." said Derek

"I look great for a dead man, huh?" responded Spencer

"Alive or dead you look great plus you're still my little brother even though you are not here." told Derek

"And brothers stick together no matter what through thick or thin or through sunshine and happiness. We will be together-." said Spencer

"Always." finished Derek

"There is something I was hoping you could do for me." said Spencer as he stepped forward as the sun surrounded him

"Anything." replied Derek

"Well two things actually. The first hang on to hope. We will see each other again. Don't let those thoughts linger into anger." said Spencer

"And the second thing?" wondered Derek

"The FBI is looking into a case called Operation Black Bird. They have been long before I died. What I need you to do is to convince them that it's nothing and to stop looking into it." ordered Spencer

"What is it?" asked Derek right there "I need to know what it is so I can convince them it's nothing and to stop. They need reason Reid."

"Just find a way it's none of their business. I read over it once and they are wasting their time on it. It's a United States Marshall Service and DEA case that they worked together. There is no FBI involvement that they need to get out of it quickly." said Spencer

"You seemed concerned about this?" responded Derek

"That's because Strauss and Hotch are the ones looking into it. The FBI can't get involved Derek." told Spencer

"Okay I will try but don't get your hopes up in me getting it expunged from them." exclaimed Derek

"It's all I ask for." said Spencer as he started walking back "I have to go now."

"What no don't go." Derek wanted to shout but didn't

"I have to just hold on to me and I will be there." told Spencer then turned around

He walked into the sunlight and disappeared in front of Derek. Derek continued to stand there as he couldn't believe he just saw his best friend and brother. He seemed to be doing okay but there was something so real about it, about what happened. It doesn't know how or why but that whole exchange seemed as if it was actually happened. It didn't look like a ghost as if he was transparent. He was solid as he was just a few feet away.

All of a sudden there was a subtle breeze that came and Derek put his hands in his pockets. He feels better but still saddened over what happened and he's not sure if he's going to get over it.

* * *

Hotch and Jill Zellner got into the police station in Dale City as it was busy with everyone standing and sitting all around. The fires got them in a complete frenzy that it looked like it was the only case they were working on. Jill stopped short as a small ball just bigger than her hand zoomed right at her. She moved and tried to duck to avoid getting hit.

"What the h-." said Jill as her hair swished as she looked around "What's going on here?"

"Sorry." said a male voice as it came over "That was Quinn and Parry they are the resident nuts and chapters. I'm Detective Greene."

"Nice to meet you I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner and this is trainee and soon to be SA Jill Zellner." said Hotch right there as they shook hands

"Thank you for coming out to help us. Where is the rest of the team?" asked Detective Greene

"A few are at the hospital and another is at the sight of the last fire. We're hoping we can find something tangible to work with that would help us out with our profile with this guy." told Hotch

"Of course." replied Detective Greene as he was fingering a small notebook "I was able to set everything up in the conference room for you."

"Thank you." said Hotch

The three of them went over and entered the conference room as there was a board in the middle with few item ticked onto it. Jill walked over as she grabbed a picture off and looked at it. She looked around the picture from every end and seam.

"Did they identify the type of accelerant detective?" asked Jill

"No they are still looking." told Detective Greene

"That's because I think they were trying to use the natural environment to enhance active microfluidics. They would drop small bits of through the windows all around the car by using something like a syringe and they only way the fire can happen is when it comes in contact of a certain air." told Jill as she examined the photo "It would be hard to find because it's so small."

"How can you tell?" wondered Hotch as he brought his hands to the outside of his pockets and below the hips

"The inherent lack of an accelerant." told Jill as she looked up "This guy most likely needs to have some sort of background in chemical engineering."

"That's good if they hadn't gotten back to us on the accelerant we would have never known that." said Detective Greene

"Thanks." said Jill as she looked up

Hotch's cell phone went off and he took it out answering it. "Hey Garcia do you have anything."

"I will tell you what I have nothing, zip, zilch, nada. Everything looks completely normal with the three victims. I looked into possible locations where other fires could go off but there are too many possibilities." said Penelope

"I got something else for you to look into. Apparently the, unsub has a background in chemical engineering. I need you to look into that they could have a degree, a job or anything close that could come in contact with it." said Hotch

"Alright let's see here. That list is kind of extensive. It's not popular but it's pretty common. What else do you have for me?" replied Penelope

"Cross check any companies that have had a break in lately go back by eight weeks that involves things like syringes and microfluidics." told Hotch

"Okay I'm looking. I will tell you when I find something." said Penelope

"Penelope." said Jill as she cut in as Hotch looked up at her and Jill took the cell phone "This guy is good I would say he has a degree in this a, masters in it or even a doctorate. He would have been working in the field for a while. Check out for companies who have fired people in the last six months to a year. It will have been done recently because when you know the information you take time to plan it all. These guys were targets check them out against companies in microbiology, chemical engineering, plants and chemical weapons."

"I'm on it Jill thanks." said Penelope as she was typing away "I'm out my behavior comrades."

Jill clicked off and turned around to see Hotch looking at her weird and funny. She gave him back his cell phone as he grabbed it then pocketed it away as he kept an eye on Jill. She started reminding him a bit of the deceased agent Dr. Spencer Reid. It's almost like they have a female version of him but different in a sense.

"What? It's common knowledge among Chemical Engineering community." Jill shrugged

"You're impressive." said Hotch as he looked at her "I'm going to go outside to get some fresh air."

"Alright I will work in here on the profile." replied Jill

Hotch walked out of the conference room leaving her to be and to look over everything they have on the arsonist. She bent down and snuck a look at Hotch as he left. She followed his footsteps to the front until he was out of her purview. She grabbed a folder and started looking.

Hotch opened the door and went outside as he stood there as he took in the fresh air. This case was seriously affecting him. The fires and arson is getting to him. It's how they lost a good agent in the line of fire. He was almost like a son to him. He just wishes it never happened at all. He looked out into the street hoping he could feel better about the case.

He blinked. It couldn't be. Across the street he saw a figure, a person standing there. But it wasn't just anyone. It was Spencer Reid. He was wondering if his mind was starting to play tricks on him. A couple cars went by and Spencer disappeared. He turned and Spencer was there right beside him.

"You're dead." said Hotch right there "How are you here?"

"I'm just a figment of your imagination Hotch." replied Spencer right there "I'm only here because you guys all need closure."

"You guys?" responded Hotch

"I talked to Derek. None of you are going to get past my death. The only way to do that is so I can help you, all of you. You can't blame yourself where you had no control over. I'm doing okay." said Spencer

"But what about your father and mother?" wondered Hotch

"My mother is doing fine. I talked to her a week before I died." told Spencer right there "The last thing I ever said to her is that if anything ever happens to me the rest of the BAU will be there for her among other things."

"I miss you Reid." said Hotch to him "I always kind of thought of you as a son I don't know if you ever knew."

"I did know don't worry. Things are going great for me where I am. I'm fine." said Spencer

"This should have never happened to you. You should never have died." replied Hotch

"People say that all the time but I know what it's like now. It will obviously not be the same but life goes on. This world goes around. People come and go. I guess it was my time." told Spencer

"I'm obviously going to blame myself for this." replied Hotch

"Well don't, don't blame this on yourself like with Strauss and Operation Black Bird." said Spencer

"How did you-." started Hotch

"I came across it once as it came across my desk. It's a case that is supposed to be a US Marshall and DEA case not a FBI case. I didn't understand how it was there when it shouldn't have been. I then noticed you and Strauss talking about it." exclaimed Spencer

"She told me to look into it and I did." said Hotch

"When you knew it fact you weren't supposed to." retorted Spencer

The wind started to pick up on them as they stood there on the grass. They watched as the cars go by past them. It seemed like a normal day. It wasn't the same standing here with a ghost of a memory beside you. It felt strange more than he wishes it should be.

"Don't ever forget about me." Said Spencer

"Hotch!" shouted Jill as she came over and out of the precinct

Hotch looked up at her and then looked beside him to see that Spencer was gone. It might have been a ghost of a memory but it makes him feel better. He stood there looking at the spot where he once was. He smiled to himself then walked back to the precinct going inside.


	4. If Only

**Gone too Soon**

 _I am so sorry about the long wait. I anticipated for this chapter to be up last week Friday but it's been tough. My manager has been giving me a lot of hours at work lately that I have been working hours at a time almost every day for the last week and then this week I work almost thirty hours to top it off with college work I have to do this summer. I will try to get chapter 5 up on Friday even though I work that day. Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy the next chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter 4** If Only

Rossi, Emily and JJ entered the hospital as they were going to be talking to the staff and to see if they can get anything out of Gail Nixon. They feel like they can get answers here at the hospital. Answers they know that they can't get anywhere else. The staff can tell them about Gail's condition and anything about the type of burns, the effects and what could happen to her. Then there is Gail herself who could also help, if she able to talk and cooperate with them.

Once they entered the hospital they separated as Emily and JJ stayed together to talk to the hospital staff. But David went off to the side as he entered a hospital room where Gail was stashed away trying to recuperate from her injuries and burns. He walked over to her bed where he found her completely bandaged up from head to toe. It looked like she could barely move. The burns were blistering and red. It looked like it fell into both ranges of second degree burns of superficial partial thickness and deep partial thickness. Then there were also the third degree burns of full thickness. It looked like it was possible that she could recover from the burns because it isn't as bad as having fourth degree burns.

He knows that once she recovers there is going to be scarring from the second degree deep partial thickness burns and the third degree full thickness burns. There could also be contractures; amputation through third degree burns, there may be skin grafting or even excision depending on the type of burn.

He stood there looking at her as she looked like that. But he could see curls of black hair outline her face, her small petite body but strength behind it all. He knew that she could be pulled through. It's just the matter of when and how.

Rossi walked in as he went over to the bedside and looked better at her to where he saw glazy blue eyes. It seemed as though they were placard there in place. That those eyes he was looking at were fake and that he could see beyond that façade.

"Gail. My name is David Rossi. I'm FBI." said David Rossi as he grabbed out his badge and showed it to her

"Mhm." mumbled Gail as she looked at it

"I was wondering if you could tell me what happened to you." replied Rossi

"I was running errands." said Gail through words but it was tough as she talked one word at a time "I . . . went . . . in . . . my . . . car. I . . . started it . . . then it burst into flames. I . . . screamed."

Gail started coughing right there as Rossi stepped back as she was reliving the memory and the flames were touching and feeling her. Her eyes rolled and looked to the side trying to remember the memory. She then looked back at Rossi right there.

"I thought . . . I saw someone there." said Gail as she was about to coin some words together "If only . . . I wasn't . . . there."

"You could have never known. Could you tell what the person looks like? Was it male or female?" asked Rossi

"Male." muttered Gail right there "I only saw . . . the outline. I think . . . he wanted to . . . see it burn and . . . go up in . . . flames."

"Did you hear or smell anything unusual?" wondered Rossi

"Didn't . . . hear anything . . . but I smelt . . . a perfume of roses." told Gail

"Okay thank you. I will let you rest." responded Rossi

He walked away from her and through the door letting her be. He noticed that Emily and JJ were talking to the doctors that were there. They seemed busy that he didn't want to intrude. He looked down the hall then he started on walking. He felt like there was a screaming in his ears as he opened the doors to the hospital as he went outside. He felt a small breezy, wind catch and latch onto him. He continued on walking in front of him.

That's when he stopped because he saw something that caught his eye. It was an illusion of Dr. Spencer Reid. He was standing on a patch of grass looking at him. Rossi looked behind him and around seeing if anyone there could see him as well. But there was no one there to tell him if it was just an illusion, farce or if it was real.

He stepped forward going closer but Spencer disappeared. It was like a flash through a flash of light. Rossi covered his eyes for that quick moment then stopped in his tracks. He turned around hoping to see him again but he was nowhere to be seen. He kept moving around in a circle hoping to find the illusion again but instead of finding that illusion he found himself a headache. He stopped as he put his hand to his head to recover.

He then walked off and went under a tree. He felt a nice windy breeze around him and could hear the trees rustling about. The smell of the trunk of the wood wafted through his nose. It was like he wasn't where he was. He felt like he was transported out of the location. He set his hands to his face as he looked down and rubbed it. The smell, the wafting air and that breeze felt amazing that he just wants it to continue on. He stopped and looked up again to find Spencer Reid back in front of him.

"I was wondering when I would start seeing illusions of you." said Rossi to the young deceased FBI agent "It's been five months and nothing. Yet now here you are standing in front me. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay." answered Reid right there as he set his hands to his pockets

"People would think I'm crazy seeing you." told Rossi

"We're all crazy, we always feel like we're seeing someone. We just get lost in our thoughts and in the process of it all it's like someone ends up being right there in front of you." exclaimed Reid

"I bet you are giving everyone a run for their money up there." said Rossi

"Not exactly." retorted Reid in retaliation

"I should have pulled you back so you wouldn't go into the building that got caught fire. You would have never have died." replied Rossi

"This isn't your fault, it's no one's." responded Reid

"No this team isn't the same without you. I feel like I'm losing it then there's Hotch who is spending all his time at work. Morgan is devastated, sad and taking out his anger at almost everything possible. Your death was the final straw for Derek for everyone." said Rossi as he stepped forward

The wind started to pick up as they stood there talking. It made Rossi's jacket billow lightly and Reid's hair beat gently against him. It seemed odd to Rossi how it was even possible. Reid's hair for one is short and the other is he's supposed to be dead. It shouldn't be like that.

Rossi then went over to the tree and set his back against the trunk as he slid down to the ground. He sat there with his back against the tree as well while he put his hands up to his hair scrunching it close to the scalp. It was hurting him but that's how he feels. He's hurt and he's devastated. Reid walked over and stood beside the tree as he looked up at it to the top looking at the branches billow and snap at the wind.

"Why did you have to leave us?" questioned Rossi as he looked at the grass

"I never left. I'm still there with you. I will always be there no matter what." said Reid as he bent down and looked right at Rossi

"This case is getting to me because of what happened to you." told Rossi right there

"It's hitting close to home I understand that. It's because of me but don't let it get in the way." replied Reid

"I don't know if I can." muttered Rossi right there

"I have something for you." said Reid

Rossi scoffed at the idea of Spencer Reid having something for him. He was skeptical about it. He looked up to see Reid look at him with a strange look, a look that he has never seen before on him. But he decided that he should just play along and see what he says to him before he goes to any conclusions about it. He sighed as he looked at the billowing grass around him.

"Okay I will go with it." said Rossi

"Back at my place there is a black box engraved with a design. It's right inside of there. You will know it when you see it." told Reid to his superior right there

"Rossi!" shouted Emily and JJ from afar

Rossi looked up to see them looking at him. He looked beside him to see Spencer Reid gone. It was like he was never even there. He looked back at his female co-workers. He got up from the spot as he walked over to them and stopped at them. He looked back at the tree while the females started talking to one another. He saw Spencer Reid again for a moment again before he disappeared once again.

* * *

Over and hour had gone by and Derek Morgan entered into the police precinct after going to the cemetery and the last location of the fire. He walked over to the conference room going in finding both Hotch and Jill in there as they were running ideas through one another. Hotch was sitting down on a chair by a table while Jill was standing and walking from side to side while holding a marker in her hand.

Morgan looked at the board that was there as they have a few things on there about the, unsub. They have that it's a guy, a background in chemical engineering and that he's young. It's not a whole lot but it's a start on, who the guy is.

Morgan grabbed a chair from the side bringing it over to Hotch's side and sat down. He looked up at Jill who started pacing even more and started talking to herself in a pretense of not realizing that the two of them are still there. Morgan closed his hands together.

"I saw Reid." said Hotch to Morgan

"I did to." replied Morgan to him

"What did he want with you?" wondered Hotch right there curious not believing they both saw an illusion of their deceased comrade, co-worker and friend

"That he's always with me no matter what that we're still brothers even though not through blood. That he's still alive within us. And that it wasn't my fault he died." exclaimed Morgan right there as he looked at his linked hands

"He said something similar to that aspect to me." replied Hotch

"It seemed to real." muttered Morgan right there "It's like he was actually there in front of me."

"It seemed so real to me as well." said Hotch as he placed his fingers to his face between his eyebrows

"He wasn't even burnt." replied Morgan

"I saw that." responded Hotch

"Do you think there's something going on that we don't know about?" questioned Morgan

"Why would you say that?" wondered Hotch

"I don't know I just thought if I saw him he would be burnt to a crisp like the way we found him. Then there's his mother as she didn't lose it when we told her what happened to him. I thought she would do something to herself but she seems okay." told Morgan

"I guess that's a little weird." retaliated Hotch

"I miss him." murmured Morgan as he leaned his head down in front of him as he looked at his hands

"I do to. His life got taken too early. But he died a hero." told Hotch

"It doesn't help that I miss him." said Morgan

They looked at each other right there as it was hard. But they seemed okay after their conversations with deceased Spencer Reid. That the illusion or the figment of the imagination was playing with them helped them out a little bit. It made them realize that they were lucky to be alive. That they shouldn't pity the dead that they should pity the living; that they still have everything going for them and the bright future ahead.

"He mentioned something called Operation Black Bird." told Morgan

"He did?" questioned Hotch concerned

"Yeah but he didn't say what it was exactly. He just said that it was a US Marshall's case as well as DEA that there is no FBI involvement. And that you and Strauss were looking into it. That you need to get out quickly because it's apparently dangerous." explained Morgan right there

"He mentioned it to me as well. He said that it came across his desk and that he looked through it. Strauss told me to look into it when I knew shouldn't look into it at all." said Hotch

"So what did Strauss say to get you to look into it?" wondered Morgan

"I can't say." replied Hotch

"Well you need to stop looking into it. All of you it's a DEA and US Marshall's case." said Morgan

"Yeah you're right." said Hotch

"I was glad I saw him though. It helped get rid of the demons inside of me." told Morgan

"So do you guys agree?" asked Jill as she stopped in her place and looked at them as Hotch and Morgan looked up at her "Were you guys even listening to me?"

"Sorry we were talking about something else." said Morgan

"This case is important if we're going to catch this guy we need to know who he is." told Jill

Just then the rest of the team came into the conference room. They were going to talk about what they all found. But they noticed Rossi was avoiding their eyes. He seemed put off for some reason. He set down his things on the table and grabbed keys to a FBI car. It looked like he was going to go somewhere. The rest of them looked at one another wondering what was going on with Rossi.

Rossi waved at them then walked back the way he came in and out of the doors leaving the premises. He went into the car and started the engine. He sighed as he placed his hands on the steering wheel. He then pulled out and left the parking lot. He looked back as he noticed the rest of the team come out and see them looking at him. He smiled at them then completely left leaving them baffled on where he was going.


	5. Find Me

**Gone too Soon**

 **Chapter 5** Find Me

Rossi got outside of Spencer's apartment and went to a spot as he parked the FBI car. It took him a little while to get here. He had to go through stoplights and crazy people behind wheels. He remembers when the rest of the team came out and saw him leave them behind as he took the car.

He didn't want to tell them where he was going because they would think that he's crazy, just because he's getting orders from the dead. He feels like there's something going on that he's not aware of. He senses that the Spencer he talked to was real. It didn't seem fake or an illusion, it seemed more real than anything that he's experience. He actually thinks that Spencer might be alive but is in hiding.

He knows that something isn't right. He knows that it wouldn't be that easy for Dr. Reid to go down like that. It would take more than that. He's starting to speculate that something strange is happening that they weren't getting the whole truth.

He sighed as he unbuckled his seat belt and put it in place. He stayed there as he played with his fingers and hands on the steering wheel. He started drumming his fingers as well as he doesn't know what to do. He wants to go in there but he's afraid of what he might find.

He sighed again knowing there's only one way to figure it out. He opened the car door as he stepped out. He closed the door behind him as he walked forward and to the building. He got to the door of Spencer Reid's apartment quick as he has been there multiple times before. He places his hand to the handle turning it then opened the door as it swung on its hinges.

He stood there looking inside not knowing what to do now but he walked inside. It has been so long since he's been there. There are so many memories in here that he remembers with the young profiler. Spencer has the most memories here out of everyone as it's his place. It's so weird seeing it close to empty like something mystical was there and frozen in time.

He went over until he found a pile of boxes together. He put his hand in one as he brought things out scattering it around on the ground. He kept on scavenging through trying to find what he's looking for. He got through the first box finding nothing in there. He went through the next box that was there dumping it all on the ground. He went to the ground as he grabbed each item and looked at them for a second or two before he placed the back.

"You're cold at the moment." said a voice

Rossi looked up and saw Reid standing there as he was leaning against the wall. Now that was weird because to lean against it he needs to be solidified mass or real for that fact. But he's a personification in his own mind trying to tell him something more.

"That box you're cold. It's nowhere near here you know that." said Spencer Reid

"How am I supposed to know that?" asked Rossi

"You just do. You've seen it before Rossi." responded Spencer Reid

"What? How have I seen it before?" wondered Rossi

"You know." _s_ aid Spencer Reid

"I don't know how I have." retorted Rossi as he looked over at the spot but Spencer left

"Right over here." said Spencer Reid as he changed places as he was now sitting on a chair by the table

"What the?" said Rossi confused as he followed Spencer Reid there but he disappeared once again

He turned around and found him sitting on a small ledge of the window as he held his leg close to him. He kept disappearing and popping up out of nowhere. Well he's supposed to do that as he's not real that he's just a figment of Rossi's imagination. He just stayed there looking at the young dead doctor right in front of him.

Rossi moved as he went forward going towards Spencer Reid but he got a glare knowing that wasn't right. Rossi stepped back going back to where he stood before. But if it isn't where the imagination Reid is then where is it. He looked behind him at the kitchen to see if it could be there. He walked over there but Spencer leaned his arm against the fridge and shook his head saying it wasn't there. Rossi stepped back wondering where it was. It wasn't in the kitchen or the living room area. So where else could it be? It couldn't be in the bathroom as that's a weird place for it to be. Rossi moved and turned to a hall where it leads to the bathroom and the two bedrooms that's in the apartment.

He started walking down the hall where he saw Spencer Reid lying against the wall of the hall and smiling. So Rossi was getting close to where the thing was. But it was weird because they took everything out of the bedrooms that are in the apartment. Hotch, Morgan and he made sure of it. It seemed so dark, black and cold as he walked down the hall. A slight breeze came over him as he kept taking on step after another.

He set his hand on the door to the guest room but Spencer Reid ended up right by him with a knowing look. It was a look saying do-you-actually-think-it's-in-here. He would never put it in the guest room but he would put it somewhere where no one would have access to it. So maybe, in his bedroom or the hall closet could be another place that it's located. He stepped forward until he was over by Spencer's bedroom and also by the hall closet. He pointed between the two places deciding which one.

Spencer looked at him while he was deciding which one to choose. Rossi saw the dead doctor smile at him. Rossi remembered him saying that he's seen it before and that he knows where it is. So if he knows where it is he knows which door to open. He has to be right about this though so he closed his eyes. He tried thinking of that one time when he's seen it before.

 _"Where did you go Reid?" asked Rossi_

 _He noticed the young doctor down the hall. But he couldn't tell where it was but it was near the end of the hall. It was either his bedroom or the hall closet that is there. He couldn't tell what he was doing. But the young doctor closed a door as he came out holding onto something under his shoulder in his armpit. He walked back down the hall to the living room where Rossi was sitting._

 _"Rossi I need you to promise me something." said Spencer Reid right there_

 _"Of course anything." replied Rossi knowing he would do anything for the boy_

 _Spencer took out what was under his armpit to reveal something covered in a strange tan fabric. He pulled something out of it to reveal a gorgeous black box with a strange design that looked like it belonged in the past. It was clearly an antique something that has high intrinsic value to you. It was maybe pre-Columbian or even medieval but it was held by authoritarian. He doesn't know how Reid could have something like._

 _"What's this? How did you get this?" wondered Rossi_

 _"This is very old it once belonged to an ancestor of mine. I need you to guard this for me if anything ever happens. I put something in here for you to find one day. You will know what it is when you see it." told Reid_

 _"But it looks like you need a key to open it." said Rossi as he observed it closer "I don't know where the key is."_

 _"Actually you do. You have that key. I gave it to you. Do you remember that?" asked Reid right there_

 _"I don't." said Rossi_

 _"Well you brought it home and have it there. Once you see it and find it you will know when to open this. But only do this if anything happens to me and in an emergency only. No one can know about this. Only you. Not until the right moment when you tell the rest of the team. Okay?" responded Reid concerned_

 _"Okay." said Rossi_

 _"I knew I could count on you." said Reid as he sat there_

 _He put the oddly colored bag over the box as he put it gently in there. He looked at Rossi for a moment then got up from the couch. He walked into the hall as he went to the end. Rossi watched him as Reid opened the door to the hall closet. But he moved a few things away and then did something until he put the box in the closet._

Rossi came back from the memory and then went over to the closet as Reid smiled right there. Rossi looked at around eye level to see what could be moved easily. He then went to the shelf just above his eye level and moved what looked to be small boxes. It ended up revealing a small hatch area where something could be put in. But it was closed and it needed something to open the lock.

"It's locked." said Rossi right there

"Think what would I, do?" questioned Spencer Reid right

"What would Spencer Reid do?" repeated Rossi as he went up as he saw he did a complicated lock as he punched in a strange combination that he created himself so no one else could get in

It opened up right there as Rossi smiled. He looked in and saw a couple things in there. He saw the old, oddly colored bag. He grabbed it and brought it out. It was dusty as it has been there for a couple of years. That was a year after Rossi rejoined the team when he talked to the young profiler about this. He got rid of the dust to find a note on there from Spencer.

 _Rossi,_

 _The only way you have this now is because something has happened._

 _Guard this with your life._

 _It holds the key to something important._

 _I trusted this with you since that day._

 _Don't let me down._

 _Remember this: drowning in one's sorrows doesn't cause grief if you know what you are looking for. Only one man's sorrow is another invitation to something new a great._

 _Thank you, Spencer Reid_

 _PS everything in this hatch area is now for you. It's yours._

Rossi stood there not believing it all. He went in there as he grabbed the last of things that were in there as he set them on the ground. He put the small boxes back where they belonged. He then grabbed the items as he went down the hall and was going to leave the apartment.

That's when he realized there was a mess on the floor of the apartment from the packed boxes that he unpacked. He got worrisome at that. So he went over and repacked the boxes. It took him a little bit as he put the boxes back to what they looked like before they were unpacked and dumped. He looked at it once he was done.

He then grabbed the items and left the apartment with them. He went to the driver's seat himself as he put the items in the passenger seat. He closed the door then buckled himself in. he started the engine and then left the apartment as he was going back to his house to bring all that back. He knows that it's going to look suspicious if he brings them with him to the precinct.

* * *

"Where is he?" wondered Derek right there agitated

"This is unusual for Rossi. What has gotten into him lately?" Emily Prentiss agreed with Morgan

"We didn't want to say anything to you guys but I think you should know." said Hotch right there

"Know what?" wondered both Emily and JJ right there

"Hotch and I both saw Reid." said Derek right there as he gripped onto a chair and leaned against it as he was sitting on it backwards

"What it's impossible? He's dead." said JJ to them

"We know it was an illusion." told Hotch to them as he stood there "But he was telling us that what happened to him wasn't our fault. He also started talking to us about a secret operation that he knows about."

"An operation, what type of operation?" wondered JJ

"I don't know it seemed as though he knew more than he was letting on." told Hotch right there

"He doesn't have clearance to know about secret operations, so how does he know about that one particular?" asked Emily

"He said through the illusion that it came to him by accident through to his desk and he read it. He said that FBI shouldn't be involved in it." said Hotch right there

"So what do you think that has to do with Rossi?" wondered JJ

"Maybe he started seeing Reid himself. That he was doing something for him like some sort of unfinished business." shrugged Derek right there

They all were in their spots completely fazed not paying any attention to the case. The only person who was paying attention was Jill who hadn't joined in on the conversation behind her. She knows that she has to do her job and so do they. So why are they talking about something else that doesn't involve the case that they are investigating.

She turned around to see them all diddly-daddling away as they were either looking at the ground, the wall or nothing in particular. She couldn't believe this as she thought she joined a top notch team of people. She sighed as she was holding a marker in her hands.

She understands the pain of losing a close friend. But she eventually got past it. It took a while a year or so but it became less hard and painful. Those shooting daggers inside are still there as they shoot shots of pain every once in a while.

"We need to figure out our profile." said Jill out of the blue

"Yeah sorry. Back to the profile." said Hotch as he rubbed his face

"Sorry everyone I had something I had to do. It was important." said Rossi opening the door and coming in

"Of course, we're about to run through what we have for a preliminary profile. We need what you have for us." replied Hotch

"Of course." responded Rossi

They started talking amongst each other about what they have gathered with the information they have gotten from the interviews, the scenes and pictures so far. They were able to comes up with some ideas about the unsub about who he is as a person, his personality and his dissociative with the whole thing with fire. They were finally able to get somewhere and they would be able to find this pyromaniac.

They got the officers plus detectives and told them what they have so far for the preliminary profile. They all took notes. Now all they have to do is to figure out the people in the town of who this guy could be. They all got up and went back to doing their jobs and finding the, unsub.

Rossi looked at them as he started thinking about that box that he brought back to his place. There's supposed to be a key but he doesn't remember ever getting a key from Spencer Reid. It's the only thing that opens the box. But then what could be in the box. That box is really getting to him. He wants to know what's inside there and why Spencer Reid was so secretive about it. It has to be something big for him to keep it from all of them. But still he is curious. What could he have done with that key? What does the key look like? He started going and rifling through his memories of when Reid gave something to him. But he never did get anything from him.

He sighed as he looked out a window of the precinct as he stood in his spot. He has been trying to find things all day. First he was finding information from the only surviving victim of the fire in her car, then he did a treasure hunt in Spencer Reid's apartment and now he has another treasure hunt to find a key. A key that is somewhere in his house or mansion or maybe could it be in his office. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought.


	6. Is this Just a Dream

**Gone too Soon**

 _Hey everyone sorry about the long wait for this chapter I just had to work for about forty hours for my part time job since last week Thursday. I worked every single day until yesterday. I do hope that you like this chapter. I also hope this chapter answers some questions I got from you guys and questions you probably thought of but never asked. It was something I thought about but wasn't sure about until I ended up writing this chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter 6** Is this Just a Dream

Penelope Garcia left her cove or cave whatever it is. She ended up leaving the FBI building so she could get some fresh air. It could lead to a spark to help in the investigation if she got out of the place. She sighed as she started walking in the streets. She ended up in the nearest coffee shop.

She went inside to get herself a nice drink of tea and a muffin for a snack. She left the coffee shop with the two in hand. But she stopped in her tracks. It's what she saw that caused her to stop her in her tracks.

She saw an illusion of the one and only Dr. Spencer Reid across the street. The cars went by as he stayed there but then a truck went by and he disappeared. She gasped and shook it off as it was just her brain playing with her. He was dead plain and simple and she knows that. But how was that possible. She shrugged it off as she started walking again.

But her young lovable doctor appeared again as she was walking. She noticed him standing but leaning against a building but he disappeared quickly as he came. He ended up being by the next building she went by. She started to think that she was going crazy. But she continued on walking but he kept appearing at every building she walked by.

Why was this happening to her? Why was she seeing the young dead doctor? Is she crazy? No she can't be. But he kept on popping up that she kept on thinking it more and more. How is this possible? He's dead but he's here at the same time. She doesn't even know what to do.

She decided to start running as she just wants to get out of there and to stop seeing the illusion of Dr. Spencer Reid. She feels like she is going crazy and it's because of those illusions. But she stopped to catch her breath as she got farther away put her hand against the building.

"Why are you running away from Penelope?" wondered Spencer Reid coming forward to her

"No, no I'm not crazy. I'm seeing you. You're dead." said Penelope Garcia in response

"You're not crazy I'm just here to help you." replied Spencer right there

"Help?" responded Penelope Garcia confused right there "Is this, a dream?"

"No it's not but you aren't crazy either. It happens with everyone when they start seeing someone they lost. Don't worry." Said Spencer right there

He moved and went into an alley standing between two buildings. Penelope ended up walking over to him curious. He seems to be here and he could have answers for her. About the case presumably or even could be here because of her grief of losing him. She considered him as one of her babies in the field.

"Penelope." said Spencer right there as she stepped forward to see him better but there was something about the alley that made it hard for her to see him. He seemed fuzzy and out of focus. "How are you?"

"How am I? You died and I have been sad. You are no longer here. I miss you. I miss your antics. I miss your long rambling moments. I miss your smarts. I miss everything about you. I tried to get past your death but I can't. It's too hard even though it happened five months ago." exclaimed Penelope

"I know I'm still trying to assimilate to my new life. It's hard without you and because I'm still not used to it." told Spencer as he looked at her

"If I get closer can I touch you?" wondered Penelope

"No." Spencer laughed right there at the question he never thought he would get asked "I don't think you can. I'm just a figment of your imagination it means I'm an illusion. That it's impossible for you to touch me."

"That's it right there, that is what I miss about you." told Penelope right there as she smiled

"I'm doing okay Penelope I've been moving on with my life and you need to do it as well. The others need your help." replied Spencer

"Help how?" responded Penelope confused not knowing how as they were all at a loss without him and with the case

"I'm always by your side Garcia." said Spencer right there as she smiled at the sound of the name it's weird to hear him say her first name "But right now time is of the essence the others need your help."

"What do you need me to do?" wondered Penelope Garcia

"I know the others don't have much to go on that's why I think I can help. Now listen to me carefully." said Spencer right there h

He started talking right there and telling her everything as she was listening with every bone in her body. She was rigid but she was fixated on every word he said right there. She nodded in understanding and even turned her head side to side once not knowing what he was talking about at the moment. But then she opened her purse and got out a notepad. She opened it up as he went on about something else entirely as she scribbled everything down in front of her. She made sure not to miss anything out as she wrote it down in her notepad.

It seemed as though it was taking a while because Garcia started to feel pain in her shoes. It's what the cause is of beauty. It can hurt but it has its advantages in the long run. She has to go through and endure the pain with her shoes a while longer.

She lowered the pad of paper and the pen in her hand for a moment as he said something else off the books. She tapped the pen to her cheek repeatedly like a drum as he said what he said then they ended up getting back to business as she finished writing everything up.

"And Garcia I miss you. Do well for yourself." said Spencer Reid to her

"I will My Sweet Cheeks." said Penelope Garcia

He ended up leaving her right there as she continued standing there. She put the pad and the pen back into her purse then hoisted her purse up underneath her shoulder into her armpit. She sighed and turned around as she ran back to the FBI Academy going in as it's also where the headquarters is located. She got into the BAU level getting off the elevator as she ran to her cave of computers.

She sat down on her chair at her desk as she rolled over to the computers and took out her purse grabbing her pad. She opened it up and started typing things into the computer getting to work. She knows that what she got is really going to help out on the case at hand. She just couldn't believe the source which is unexpected. No one would probably believe her but she can try anyway.

She got through everything as she got to where she needed to go and found what she saw. She looked at it through her bespeckled eyes as she couldn't believe it at all. She needs to call the others right away to tell them.

* * *

The profilers were in the conference room at the police precinct in Dale City. They were going though what they have for information so far. Rossi told them what he got from the victim Gail Nixon. How she said she saw someone there watching her as the car was in flames and how she smelled a waft of roses.

They were now wondering what that was about. How she was able to smell the roses. It was an interesting thing that they started to think about the, unsub. They were coining everything together they can so they know who they can find.

"Hey my beautiful crime fighters." said Penelope clicking on and appearing on the screen of the laptop

Jill nearly jumped out of her wits when Penelope appeared on the screen. She held her hand to her chest in disbelief. She didn't expect that for one thing and the other she heard what Penelope said as well. It was interesting as she has never heard anyone talk like that before.

"You will never believe what I found." said Penelope right there

"What did you find Baby Girl?" asked Morgan as he leaned forward

"Well I will start with the good first, then the bad and finally the creepy." told Penelope

"This doesn't sound good." said Emily as she looked at the others

"I'm sorry my profilers." responded Penelope right there "Okay so the good thing is all our victims have a connection. I was able to connect them to the same doctor at a practice."

"Okay that's good we have a suspect. What's the bad and the creepy then?" wondered Rossi

They noticed Penelope was twiddling and twirling the pen in her hands. She seemed off and distracted by something. That there was something going on in her head but was not exactly paying all that much attention to them. She started biting on the end of her pen.

"Baby Girl." said Morgan right there

Penelope got out of her trance and then put her hands on her keyboard as she started looking for something, for the bad thing. It seemed as though it was the only way to get to it because she didn't have it up as she had to go through it to get the good thing. She stopped as her hands ended up hovering over the keyboard then looked up at them.

"Okay so the bad all the fires ended up getting filmed and each video is on the internet. It's on a website and it's got over two million views already for each one for five of the fires so that means there is a total of ten million views for the videos and the hits keep on coming. Some of the viewers are crazy we got the pyromaniacs, the murders and the serials." told Penelope right there as she ranted on "Here you go."

She hit a button and a video of a fire in a boat appeared on the screen as it went on. It went everywhere on the boat and it hit the area where the gas tank was and it exploded as the fire went everywhere scattering all around the boat on the street. It continued on to burn as there was rubble everywhere. The next video went up and something similar was there but it was of a bus instead of a boat. She put the third video up but this time it was of a truck where Theodore Hayes was and they watch him burn and ended up dead. The next video was up after that where it was of a car and it showed Betsy Rodgers getting killed by the flames and the smoke all around her. Then finally there was the last video of Gail Nixon in her car but they didn't get the whole thing because it got cut off as someone was running to the car to help save her.

The profilers all looked at each other not believing it at all. They didn't want this to get out this way. Yet here are five videos of seven of the fires and arson on transportation vehicles. They needed to get to the bottom of this and fast as lightning if they can. Rossi closed his eyes as he wished he never saw that.

"Can you figure out where the videos were uploaded and by who Garcia?" asked Hotch

"I'm already on it." replied Penelope Garcia

"You also said that there was something creepy as well-." started Jill as she went down to the screen "What was that exactly?"

"Aah that I cannot un-see." said Garcia right there "It's not only creepy but it's disgusting. Apparently this guy is not only a pyromaniac but he is finding other fires around the city where there are people who end up dead. What he does with them is he takes them out of the fires and well . . . he plays with them."

"Oh god." said JJ right there

"I think I'm going to puke." muttered Jill

"I'm right there behind yeah." told Emily

"How did you find this?" wondered Hotch

"Let's just say I got a visit from the spirit world. Garcia out." said Penelope as she clicked a button with her pen

All of them stood there as JJ, Jill and Emily all stood there not only disgusted but also sick and getting ready to puke. While Hotch, Rossi and Morgan were there disgusted but also in shock. They got in shock because they know what she is talking about when she said that she got a visit from the spirit world. They realized that she talked with Spencer Reid.

They all stood there as they now have more information to go for their profile of the killer-slash-arsonist. He definitely likes to play with fire. But now they need to be quick and find this guy before he creates more fires and more people get hurt or worse killed.


	7. Jar of Hearts

**Gone too Soon**

 **Chapter 7** Jar of Hearts

Everyone was standing in the conference space as they figured more out about the, unsub. They now know that they all have the same doctor at some sort of practice of which Garcia sent them the information. That was the good thing as they now have someone else to talk to, to get questions and answers from. But then there was the bad was, that it got filmed and is now on the internet where there is a combination of ten million views. But then there was the creepy where the, unsub is finding other fires around the city taking dead bodies out and plays with them.

"Okay we are going to separate again." said Hotch right there to the team "I want Rossi and Emily to go back to the hospital and talk to Gail again. I want you to see if you can get anymore out of her."

"Of course." muttered Emily as she nodded

"JJ you're going to come with me to talk to the doctor." said Hotch as she stood there while leaning against a chair "Finally Morgan you are going to stay here with Jill. I need you to watch over her."

"You mean I have to babysit?" replied Morgan as he pointed at the young girl

"Come on you can handle a girl. I don't bite . . . unless provoked." smiled Jill at him as he shot her daggers

"Alright let's go." said Emily to Rossi

The four of them left the conference room through the doors and went outside of the precinct. They got to the two FBI cars and separated as they went inside them as Rossi and Emily went into one while Hotch and JJ went into the other one.

While inside Morgan was looking at the cuticles of his nails not believing that he has to babysit the new girl. She's young and doesn't meld all that well with them yet. She doesn't understand anything yet about the team and all the dynamics that goes with it. All of a sudden he noticed that her cell phone went off as she took it out and looked at it.

"I need to take this. I'm sorry." said Jill as she went out of the conference room and pressed the answer button to her cell phone and started talking through it as she walked off and went through the doors and went outside

Derek grabbed the back of a chair as he pulled it out and sat down on it as he sighed. He can't believe anything at all. This case is super freaky as they have found some of the most interesting things about it. But then there is Jill who seems to be hiding something from the team. He noticed that she seems hesitant about something but he's not sure what it is.

He looked at the board as they have pictures up there as well as charts, graphs and written words. It isn't the same when they put stuff up there. It used to be Spencer Reid's job mostly. He would analyze everything and put it all together as he would brainstorm and write on the board. He was the one who would connect things together if he could think of it.

He admits that he misses the young doctor. He wishes the guy was still alive and with them. He would be thinking about everything and trying to connect what they have to put it together. They have quite a bit for a profile but they want as much as they can before they can do their preliminary profile.

He continued to sit there as he was contemplating through his thoughts but once he was done and got through them. There was an empty spot inside his brain and he didn't know what to do. He then noticed that Jill never came back from her phone call either. He looked around to see if she was anywhere in the conference room. He got up and left going into the hall. He went all around looking around for her not finding her anywhere in the precinct as she wasn't by the coffee machine, she wasn't in the bathroom even though he knows he can't go in there he just asked a female officer if she was in there. It turned out that she wasn't in the break room. She was nowhere in the precinct.

He went to the doors to the outside and went out there as just as he stepped out he noticed her talking to someone. But the thing was this someone was a bit strange as he didn't look normal. He knew it was a guy because of the build of him. But he was covered entirely in black in every article of clothing and was even wearing a black hoodie. The hoodie was hung low over his eyes and was wearing black sunglasses to hide his identity even more.

"Jill." said Derek going over

"Shh don't say anything and don't look at him either." said Jill to him

The guy turned around and pushed the black sunglasses farther into the bridge of the nose. Jill turned around to face Derek but she noticed that Derek wasn't look at her but at her friend off on the side. Her friend was trying to hide his face entirely.

"Who's this?" wondered Derek

"Oh he's a friend." said Jill right there

"Friend or boyfriend? You guys seem to be flirty with each other." responded Derek as he tried to get a better look "Why is he wearing all that and hiding his face and identity?"

"He's shy." answered Jill quickly

"What about all that flirtatious nature that I saw going on?" wondered Derek

"Okay we were not flirting." responded Jill as she shook her head

"Uh huh." muttered Derek not buying any of it one bit

Jill stood there as she looked at Derek not believing him at all. He seems to be getting up in her grill about her relationship with this guy. The thing is there never was a relationship between her and her friend and there probably never will be.

"Uh can you wait a minute? I need to talk to him before we go back in." told Jill

"Yeah of course." replied Derek

Jill turned around to her friend and took his arm as the two of them walked off on the side. Derek saw the two of them talking, conversing and interfacing. It seemed to be like flirtatious banter to him. He really thinks that they are flirting just by how it looks. Even though she says that he is just a friend. He looked at her through the sunglasses and the hood which was hung low over his eyes.

That's what seemed odd to Derek. The friend is wearing black and hiding his identity. He doesn't know why the guy was doing that. It's not like he's going to run into anyone that he knows. Or does he work for the government and if someone he works deep undercover with would recognize him? He is going with the latter here. He thinks that it's possible that he works deep into the government.

Jill smiled and touched the guy gently on his back then walked over to Derek. Derek noticed that Jill's friend ended up walking off into the streets with his head hung low, hiding his face. Derek shook his head as he grabbed Jill and they went inside the precinct together.

* * *

Rossi and Emily entered the hospital again that day as they were there earlier getting information from the victim. It was actually Rossi who talked to her previously while Emily was with JJ as they talked to the doctors there in the hospital. They showed the employees their credentials then they walked over to the room.

As they went over they noticed that there were a few doctors that were in the room observing Gail. They were checking vitals, the burns and the healing process that was happening. They took notes on their pads and quickly talked to each other before they all filed out of the room. They were off to check on what they have.

Both Rossi and Emily walked into the room as Gail rolled her eyes and noticed the two of them there. Rossi was playing with his black notepad that he put in his hands while Emily was picking at the pocket of her pants. They were nervous talking to the victim.

"Gail do you remember me?" asked Rossi

"Yeah you're the FBI agent Rossi . . . I believe." Said Gail right there

"Yes this is my co-worker Agent Emily Prentiss." told Rossi right there as he pointed to Emily right there who smiled at Gail

They looked at Gail as they have seen amazing progress. She doesn't look like she was in as much pain anymore and it looks like the blisters and burns were healing well. But the most amazing part was that her speech patterns were going back to normal. She's no longer talking in one or two word coins but in full blown sentences. Rossi also noticed that she was a lot more relaxed and at bay.

"My husband, kids and grandkids all visited earlier." told Gail

"That's great." said Emily

"They're happy I'm doing well." explained Gail to them

"I'm sorry we have to do this but we have to ask a few extra questions pertaining to the fire. I know it's going to be uncomfortable but it will help us find out who did it." told Emily to her

"Of course." muttered Gail

"You said that you saw the unsub but did he have a camera in his hands?" asked Emily

"No not in his hands but it's been coming back to me and I think I saw it on a tripod just off on the side by him. He seemed to be waiting for me to die in there like he wanted to do something to me. Like something weird but I don't know what it would be." explained Gail as she looked to the side remembering "I think he wanted me dead and burnt to a crisp."

"Can you tell us about your doctor?" replied Rossi as he looked at Gail

"Dr. Bellanger what about him exactly?" said Gail

"How is he exactly? When was the last time you saw him? Did he seem normal in a sense?" wondered Rossi

"He's fine I've known him for about five years now ever since my other doctor died. I try to see him once a week if I can because we've been doing tests to see if I could be getting cancer or Alzheimer's. It runs in my family." told Gail as she looked at the two of them "He's always been normal to me and that's saying something."

"Alright thank you." said Emily

The two of them smiled at Gail and left the room. They went back in the hall of the hospital as they stood there. They looked at Gail who was smiling and doing well for herself. They know that things were looking up and that eventually she will be able to go home to her own family.

* * *

Derek and Jill were inside the precinct in the conference room as they were looking at the board. But Jill was off on the side as she has a notebook out in front of her as she was jotting down all the notes and evidence that they have to figure out more on the unsub. They still need to get the preliminary profile out to the police officers and detectives.

"I will be right back. I'm going to get coffee." said Jill as she got up from the table

"I will come with you." Said Derek

They went out and got to the break room where the coffee machine and pot was. They grabbed nice cups that were biodegradable and safe for the environment. Derek poured himself a cup first from the pot then Jill grabbed the pot from him.

She poured coffee into the cup as she watched Derek put what he wanted into his cup. She grabbed the sugar and poured in a tablespoon in it and then took out her cinnamon and poured a teaspoon into the coffee. She stirred it and looked into it as it swirled all around as she covered it and took a drink. She saw Derek looking at her from the corner of her eyes.

"What?" said Jill right there

"Nothing though I have to admit that the cinnamon is different." told Derek as he took a drink

"I love cinnamon I will add it to anything that would allow it if I can." replied Jill

"There's something still bothering me though. That friend of yours from outside he seemed a little off. Does he work for the government?" asked Derek

"In a sense." muttered Jill

"You two seemed to hit it off." smiled Derek

"Are you at that again?" muttered Jill as she fixed her eyes to the ground

"It's true you were talking in dulcet tones in a flirtatious matter. So what's really happening?" said Derek

"Nothing." replied Jill in response not believing in him

"Uh huh. He seems to be interested in you and you seem to recuperate those interested feelings. How long have you guys known each other exactly?" wondered Derek

"Around six months." answered Jill

She just wants to shake Derek off as he just keeps nagging at her relationship with her guy friend. She just can't believe it at all. There are no feelings whatsoever and she's not even interested. They seem to be more on the ground of being just friends. Does Derek even know that she isn't even interested in him? Even though he was hiding his face and that he doesn't want anyone to know who he is.

She held onto her cup of coffee and took another drink. She can't believe she is even stuck with Derek Morgan at all. He seems to be getting under her nerves about her friend. But then a thought occurred to her as she was contemplating about how she feels about Derek talking to her about her relationship with her own friend.

She walked off with her coffee in hand as she entered the conference room as she went through the files that were on the table. That's when she noticed a file that was about the victims friends. She looked at it as she thinks she got somewhere with this. These friends and the victims seem to have a connection together with the government. She turned around to Derek and gave him the file as he looked at it and cocked at his eyebrow. He smiled at her as he took out his cell phone to call Garcia.


	8. Ghost of a Memory

**Gone too Soon**

 **Chapter 8** Ghost of a Memory

Jill was sitting on a chair in the conference room as she watched Derek talk over the phone with Penelope Garcia. She found a connection with the victims with their friends being part of the government. They all seem to be part of an outreach government program that is private. Derek was talking to Penelope about it at the moment.

While that was happening Jill couldn't help but wonder and think about her friend that she told Derek about. He doesn't know the real truth about him, no one actually does, and she needs to keep it that way or there's going to be a serious problem. She even remembers the day she met him.

 _Jill was walking in her apartment building as she was carrying her laundry and listening to music but then she noticed government officials come in the building. She took a glimpse and noticed it was the Marshall Service as they were taking someone out. That's when she noticed the apartment building was on fire around her._

 _"Oh my god." said Jill_

 _"Get out of here." said a Marshall Service agent coming over to her_

 _"What's going on?" wondered Jill_

 _"You need to get out of here." said the Marshall Service agent again_

 _"But-." stuttered Jill as she looked behind her while she was holding onto her laundry_

 _"Get out of here." ordered the Marshall Service agent_

 _She dropped her things to the ground and started running around the fire and some of the rubble. But then a fire erupted in front of her as she screamed. She has no way out of this. That's when the, someone the Marshall Service was taking out came over and grabbed her. They mentioned that they have to take her out with them._

 _"Okay fine. What's your name miss?" asked the Marshall Service agent to her_

 _"Jilliana Zellner." said Jill right there "But people call me Jill."_

 _"Alright you're coming with us. And once you get out of here you have orders to get FBI training. There is something you have to do for us. Can you do it?" asked the Marshall Service agent_

 _"Of course. But there's something I need to know first." told Jill_

 _"Anything. What is it?" wondered the Marshall Service agent_

 _"What's your name?" responded Jill_

 _"It's Agent Parker Roebuck." told the Agent Roebuck as they looked at each other "Now come on."_

 _She went with Agent Roebuck as they went through a door she didn't know existed in the building. They went out as Agent Roebuck threw something behind him as she looked at it but didn't see what it was as there was an instant flash in her eyes as they took their exit out of the building._

Jill came back from her memory as it was practically an order and she had to follow them. It was the one thing that she has to do. She hasn't questioned it because once she got out of there and she was safe they told her everything and anything they could. Now she's in on one of the biggest secrets that she's ever dealt with and she can't share what's happening with the rest of the BAU or she's going to compromise her position on the team.

She sighed as she looked to the side and started playing with a necklace that wrapped around her neck. It's just a simple necklace that's silver with a pendent that goes down that has a starting point then wraps itself around almost like in a similar infinity knot with both diamonds and sapphires that go all around that goes every other.

She got the necklace on her eighteenth birthday from her parents and it came from a message from them, a message from the dead as they died when she was only three years old. They kept presents hidden in their house for every year she grew up in case something happened to them. And they were right they lost their life during a case. Her mother was an FBI agent in Minneapolis as was her dad but they worked in different departments, though the departments would intermingle with one another. Her mother worked in the counterintelligence and her father in the public corruption.

She misses them every day ever since they died even though she barely remembers them. It's what makes this job so much harder knowing it took her parents away from her, that after they died, she got raised by foster parents from all around. Eventually she got adopted by two amazing young parents named the Zellner's. They're great she loves them but they are nothing like her own parents.

She looked up and when she looked up it was like seeing a memory, a ghost of her real parents looking right at her. They were smiling, beaming as if they were proud of her. She sat there wishing they could actually see her right now and see the young woman she has become. They ended up becoming transparent and they turned around as they walked out of the room going right through the walls. Jill got up and followed them.

"Jill." said Derek as he turned around and saw her walking away from the conference room and seemed engrossed in something

Jill was following the ghosts or a memory of ghost of her dead parents as she opened the door to the outside. She started walking and kept on walking farther. This whole thing didn't seem real at all. She was so engrossed at following the memory of her parents that she didn't even know where she was going at all. But she kept on being trapped in her own mind as mere memories of when she was little before her parents died as if she remembered them as they started milling away.

 _"Mommy watch me!" shouted a young Jill as she went down a green slide "Did you see that?"_

 _"I did." said her mother as she was smiling from across the park_

 _Jill ended up running away from the slide and got to the other end to the entrance of the park jungle gym area. She went up the steps then walked across a path and on a bridge going across it. She then hoisted herself up a large step onto a platform then went up a mere ten steps going slowly as she got to the top. She looked over a railing to see her parents looking at her and smiling. She went back down on the slide._

 _"Come over her butterfly." said her dad as Jill ran over to him as he engulfed her into a large hug as he muttered "Oomph."_

 _She looked at her dad at his reflective green eyes and his cinnamon hair was a natural mess. Her mother came over as her mother's locks of golden blonde went down against her chest and her silver-gray eyes were showing. Jill knows that she's a lucky girl to have parents like that and a young brother on the way._

The memory came back to her as if it was haunting her now and more flashes of memories kept on coming. It was like the ghosts of her parents that she sees but aren't really there are trying to tell her something and that they are helping her out.

 _"Mommy!" screamed Jill as she ran into her little brother's room_

 _"Shh." said her mother as she was holding her baby brother "You don't want to wake Evan."_

 _"Sorry." said Jill as she skipped over and looked at her baby brother "He's cute."_

 _"I know I'm proud and happy for my two kids both you and Evan." told her mother as she looked at her young eyes "Remember this Jill no matter what happens to me or your dad we always love you and we are never that far away, that we are always with you no matter what."_

 _Jill looked up at her mother with profuse green eyes. She doesn't know why her mother is telling her this. They are there right in front of her. She knows that nothing is going to happen to her._

She now knows that at that age she was wrong about her parents. It was only a couple months later when they died. She took their deaths a lot worse over her best friends. But now she doesn't have her parents or her friend. She doesn't have any family except for her brother who could be anywhere. She got separated from him in the system.

Finally she stopped walking and found herself in the parking lot of the last victim. She looked all around not believing that she was there. She doesn't even know how she got there. She bent down and looked at the ground. It was still closed off to the public so she's okay. She was all alone so now she has time to figure out what she needs to.

She looked right in front of her wondering what this place was trying to tell her. What she saw wasn't real it just it helped and knew that she had to go here because it holds all the answers. Even though Derek went here earlier she feels like he missed something that he didn't see. There was double takes, intakes, deep breaths and everything in-between that she did. So why is everything so useless? They got everything they needed and they know what causes the fire, that the pyromaniac likes to watch his work and that he films it. But then she remembered that the guy would grab people out of fires that were dead and would play with them. Maybe now instead of going into already created fires that he's now creating his own fires and hoping that people would get into the crosshairs and end up dead. It seems logical in a sense but why would he want to do that. Is he impotent in both ways and this is the only way he overcomes his impotence?

She's getting somewhere now as she's getting down the farther line. So he's impotent in both ways; a pyromaniac and a watcher. So what else is there about him that she can tell? He likes to film it but why does he like to film it anyway. Does he need to relive it or is more like a time capsule for him? Or is it just some sort of strange memento? Is it something that he needs to remember because his own memory is fading away? What is it exactly about him that makes him do what he does? She keeps asking herself questions she knows needs to get answered about the, unsub. It's the only way to find him. That the only way to get him, to end the fires and the end the fury and hatred. To end what is dear to this guy's heart.

So she knows that this guy is nothing more than crazy that's for sure but as she kneels there she sees a scene of scattered debris from the car. She picked up a small silver piece and looked right at it. She grabbed a couple other pieces and looked at those as well. The car really broke apart and singed in areas from the fire. She outlined her finger across the piece.

All of a sudden she felt like there was a voice inside her head as if from a memory of her father saying _"Which one of those pieces doesn't fit if you can figure that out then you can figure out the truth behind the lies and devastation."_

She looked around at the place and repeated the question to herself. Which one of these pieces doesn't fit? This is like a puzzle, like a game but not quite. This guy is playing with fire and it's escalating to become worse. So what is it with fire? Is it the flames? Is it the devastation? Is it the memory? Is it the hurt? Is it the uncanny of it all? Is it him?

An identity maybe this guy is trying to find his identity and his calling in the world. He doesn't get off on the fire. He can't he gets off on the burnt dead bodies inside. The fires are just in the way for him between him and the bodies. All he wants are the bodies. He doesn't set fires because he wants to he sets them because he has to. He needs those bodies over anything else.

She looked all around until she saw a glint in the distance. She wasn't sure what it was so she got up straightening her back as she walked over as the object kept on glinting. She went over as she went down bending and grabbed the object that was glinting.

"Cubic zirconium." Muttered Jill to herself as it was a colorless but beautiful synthetic crystalline gem all of a sudden her eyes became huge as she realized of her mistake from earlier "Oh my god. Oh my god!"

She grabbed more of the cubic zirconium into her hands and pocketed them in one of her pockets. No one would have picked up on it earlier because it wouldn't seem out of place and it would be hard to notice at all unless you saw it glint. She found her missing puzzle piece.

She then got up from the ground and started running. She has to get back to precinct and to the others. She needs to tell them what she found and he thoughts as they can help. How could she not have known? It was so stupid and yet so obvious. This is their missing part of the case that's going to break it. It's time to get this guy behind bars.


	9. Empty Promises

**Gone too Soon**

 **Chapter 9** Empty Promises

Hotch and JJ got to the clinic to the doctor they were going to visit Dr. Bellanger to get some answers from him. They stopped the FBI car outside and turned the key to turn it off. They took the key out and opened the doors as they stepped outside of the car. They closed the car doors then started walking the distance of the parking lot as they got to the front doors.

They opened those doors as they went inside the clinic. They walked inside as heads ended up turning to them as they stuck out in a distance. If you look at them through the perspective of an outsider, outside of the FBI you could tell they were either cops or federal agents just by the way they dressed.

They walked through the halls until they got to the elevator pushing the up button. It took only a minute ninety seconds for it to come as it dinged and opened up. They stepped in and they pressed the button to the third floor of only five floors for the clinic excluding the basement.

Both Hotch and JJ stood there waiting as the elevator was moving slowly at a steady speed but as fast as it could. Finally it dinged at the third floor stopping and they stepped out into the main lobby of the third floor. They looked around at the scattered floor of people where it was loud with people talking and doctors working. They walked up to the help desk where a young woman in her middle twenties was sitting.

"Can I help you?" asked the woman who looked up and had a name tag on her breast bone that said Janet

"Yes we are the FBI we need to talk to Dr. Bellanger." said Hotch as he took out his badge showing it "Where is he?"

"He's doing some research at the moment. I can call him to come here." said Janet

"Please." responded Hotch as he nodded

Janet picked up the phone as she called for Dr. Bellanger to come to the front desk. Both Hotch and JJ stood there waiting as they started ticking the moments and minutes that went by. They thought he would be there quickly and right away when he heard and got his name called to come to the front desk on the level. They continued to wait as Hotch looked at his watch on his wrist wondering how much longer it was going to take.

Hotch indicated to JJ to go over to the waiting area to go and sit down as they don't know how long it's going to take for the doctor to come. They sat down anticipating the wait. JJ crossed her legs and started moving one foot repeatedly while Hotch leaned forward as he put his hands together. They stayed there like that hoping that time would come and go quick and that the doctor would come.

But he still wasn't coming at all. Five minutes had gone by and he wasn't there. Ten minutes went by and he wasn't there. Fifteen minutes went by and he wasn't there. Twenty minutes went by and he still wasn't there. Twenty-five minutes went by and he still wasn't there. Finally a half an hour later both of them got fed up as the doctor still hadn't come. Hotch got up from the chair and walked over to the help desk.

"Janet where is Dr. Bellanger?" asked Hotch right there

"He hasn't come." replied Janet confused

"No it's been thirty minutes and he hasn't come." said JJ right there

"Doctor." said Janet as a doctor came walking by and he heard his name and walked over to them "Where is Dr. Bellanger?"

"He left . . . about thirty minutes ago." told the doctor

"Just when we got here and he got the call." said JJ

"Excuse me who are you?" asked the doctor

"FBI agents Hotchner and Jareau." said Hotch right there

"Why would he flee?" wondered JJ as she looked at her superior

"I don't know. Thank you doctor." said Hotch to the doctor who nodded then left

Both Hotch and JJ stood there perplexed as they couldn't believe that the doctor fled from the place and is running from them. The only way he would be doing that is if he either has something to hide or he's the pyromaniac and killer they are looking for. So which one is it? Is he the, unsub or is he just hiding something that he thinks warrants a visit from the FBI?

They thanked Janet and left the room as they went to the elevator. It opened up as it dinged. They stepped inside and pressed the main floor lobby button. The elevator moved going down making one stop on the second level letting someone come in. Then it started moving again as they got to the main level and they got out. They walked through it until they got to the main doors and walked outside of the clinic.

They got to the FBI car as they opened up the two front doors and went inside sitting on the seats. Hotch in the driver's seat and JJ in the passenger's seat. Hotch turned the key in the ignition as he started it. He pulled out of the lot wondering where they needed to go. They deduced to go to Dr. Bellanger's own house and look there. There could be answers there to where he might have gone or better they could find him hiding there from them.

They ended up at Dr. Bellanger house as they got to the driveway and stopped the car once again. They went out and went to the front door of the house calling to him then they went inside. JJ indicated that she was going over to the office as she opened a door to the side. Hotch went forward as he went to the kitchen, living room and dining room combination. It looked immaculately put together and pristine. He walked around the rooms as he was observing everything he could come close with. He found some photos of the doctor and his ex-wife. He knew that the ex-wife wasn't in the picture because the only pictures the doctor has of her are old photos. The rooms seemed empty with no personality what-so-ever as the wife took it all with her.

He stepped into the kitchen as he opened the cabinets one by one seeing that everything had a place but it was dusty. He most likely didn't use the kitchen at all. It proved to be true when he opened up the door to the fridge where there was no food and nothing in the freezer. He sighed as he closed it.

He went over to the stairs and walked up them to go to the second floor of the house. He got into an elongated hallway with about six-seven doors that all lead to a different room. He opened up three spare bedrooms, the bathroom, the laundry and a library. He was impressed that the house, housed a library and it proved to be a great size as well as it held book shelves against the walls all around the room with two library-esque book shelves in the middle. He knows one thing's for sure and that is if Spencer Reid was alive he would love this room more than anything. He sighed as he left the library and went back into the hallway.

He opened the last door which ended up being the master bedroom and it wasn't what he expected. Unlike the whole house which was immaculately put together, pristine but dusty this room was a complete mess as it needed an overhaul done to it. The walls were filled with muck, yuck and uck. The floor was filled with trash, knickknacks, pens, pencils, paper, books and everything he could think of. He opened a door to the walk in closet and saw that resembled the master bedroom to a T with the exception of clothes being everywhere in the closet whereas there wasn't any in the bedroom. He opened the last and final door in the bedroom to the bathroom.

It actually was a lot better than the bedroom itself and the closet. The bathroom wasn't a disaster at all but totally clean and spotless. The only thing that was a bit of a mess was the countertops for the sinks with his, own products that were everywhere.

He sighed as there was nothing in the bathroom, closet or master bedroom that could help them out to find him. He isn't in the house and the house wasn't giving them any answers to what and where he could be. He went out of the bathroom going to the bedroom when the door opened and JJ entered the master bedroom.

"Whoa!" said JJ right there in shock

"Yeah you should see the closet it's just like this." said Hotch

"Well this seems to be the only place in the house that has personality." replied JJ as she pointed at it "Find anything Hotch?"

"No you?" responded Hotch

"The only thing viable I was able to find was that he's a workaholic." told JJ

"He used to be married so there's an ex somewhere." replied Hotch

"Do you think he's our unsub?" wondered JJ

"No but he's either hiding something from us or he might even know the, unsub. Not sure which one yet." told Hotch

They walked out of the bedroom and into the hall as they went down the stairs. They didn't know where he is at all. But they know he could be the key to finding out more. He's the only connection they have with all the victims who have become dead and Gail Nixon who's in the hospital with second and third degree burns.

They were going to go back to the precinct as they were going to regroup with the rest of the BAU. They finally got somewhere but they still need evidence to back everything up.

* * *

Jill came back to the precinct as she was running from the last spot of the fire that happened. She grabbed the door as she hoisted it opened and ran inside of the precinct getting to the conference room and stopped. She was panting and out of breath as she went from there to here without stopping. It was a long run and she can normally handle them but this one took its toll. Her chest was heaving as she placed her hand to her chest to calm herself down and to control her breathing as well.

She looked up as she found Derek there but noticed that Rossi and Emily were back from the hospital. They must have gotten back when she was out at the crime scene. She stopped her deep breathing exercises and got up as she looked at them and grabbed herself a; water. She drank almost the whole bottle as all that running dehydrated her as well as got her out of breath.

"Where did you go Jill?" asked Derek out of the blue "You seemed weird when you left."

"Derek just told us about it." said Emily right there

"Sorry it felt like I was seeing visions of my dead parents and well they brought me out of here." told Jill

"You're parents are dead?" replied Derek not believing it

"Yeah I was three and my brother was only a few months old. I don't know what happened to him." responded Jill as she looked at the ground

"I'm so sorry." said Emily

"It wasn't your fault. It was the job. They both worked for the FBI and they were out in the field when they lost their lives." said Jill

She saw Derek look at her in remorse as he didn't know at all about her parents. How could he, she never told them. He has been both hard and tough on her. Maybe now that he knows the truth that he will start to lighten up and start to treat her fairly. She knows that losing a friend is hard especially when they feel like family. But she came in taking the place of someone who died that worked for the team. She doesn't blame Derek for being skeptical, rude, and tough and giving everyone the cold shoulder. He's still dealing with the aftermath of it all.

She set the water on the table then put her hands in her pocket as she was digging in it. She clutched onto the cubic zirconium as she placed it onto the table in front of her. The others were confused as they went over to look at it closely not knowing what it's supposed to be or what she put on the table. They still weren't sure what they were looking at or where it came from.

"I ended up at the last crime scene this was here." Told Jill

"What is it?" wondered both Derek and Emily as they grabbed it

"Cubic Zirconium. I can't believe I was so stupid. Do you know anything about cubic zirconium?" responded Jill

"No." said the three of them truthfully

"Cubic Zirconium is flammable it's what caused the fire in all the vehicles. Just put it in the gas tank and boom instant fire. I was wrong with what caused the fire we aren't looking for someone in a chemical engineering." said Jill right there as the others all look at her

"So who are we looking for then?" wondered Emily

"Most likely blue color, a factory worker who has a background in fires or explosives." exclaimed Jill

"I'm going to call Garcia." said Derek as he got up and got out his cell phone

He left the conference room as he called Garcia to change tactics in finding the, unsub. Jill stood there as she looked at Rossi and Emily who were both looking at her and smiling. They seem to be warming up to her a lot more and she hit a nerve with Derek. He doesn't seem to be what he was like when they first met that morning. They seem to be slowly moving in a whole new direction of a different work friendship.

Her hands were on her hips and she smiled at herself. She was happy with herself as she was able to figure out her mistake. That's what life is about that when you make a mistake you realize it and you change it. She knows that sometimes you just need to work hard and trust your instincts.


	10. You're Not Alone

**Gone too Soon**

 _Hey everyone I am updating this today. I won't be able to update for a while I am so sorry about that. It's just I'm going to be somewhere where the internet connection isn't good and anyway I'm going to be with family. I hope you understand that it won't be for a week or so maybe longer until I will be able to update this story and my other story as well called That Rossi Kid for any of you that are following it._

* * *

 **Chapter 10** You're Not Alone

Hotch and JJ got back to the precinct and they got out of the FBI car. Hotch closed the door behind him and walked forward as he went inside the precinct. JJ stayed for a quick moment to go into the back of the car. She was going to grab a bag that holds items that they went to grab to help out with the investigation into finding the, unsub. She hoisted it and put it on her arm and below her armpit as it was quivering below her.

She turned around and nearly got a heart attack. She placed her hands to her chest in shock and utter bewilderment. What she saw was the dead young Spencer Reid in front of her. She couldn't believe this. How is she even seeing him at all? He's dead. But it could just be her mind playing with her and creating an illusion.

She shook her head and started walking with the bag still being held by her hand and arm. But she stopped as Spencer ended up moving as he was sitting on a bench. She shook her head again as she continued walking but Spencer moved as he stood up standing by a tree. She walked over to the door and put her hand to the handle. But her hand just stayed their hovering. She closed her eyes as she turned around and walked over to the tree. But Spencer was gone.

She turned around to leave but then he appeared in front of her as he was walking where light was surrounding him. He looked somewhat angelic and harmonic at the same time. But the light that was there caused him to look out of focus.

"What's going on? Am I crazy?" wondered JJ right there

"No you're not." replied Spencer right back to her

"But you're here and we're talking." said JJ out of the blue

"We are but it doesn't mean we are always talking to one another even though you are here and I am not." said Spencer

"Can I touch you?" wondered JJ as she started to bring her hand out to him

"No I'm just an illusion. But I'm here wherever you go you know that." replied Spencer

"I want to believe it but it's been so hard. I was so devastated and when Will heard he saw how sad I was and that I was pulling away from the co-workers." told JJ to Spencer

"Just believe in it." said Spencer

"I will." said JJ as she looked down "Henry misses you. He misses his uncle and godfather. It's been just as hard for him that he's been pulling himself away from other kids and his friends. He doesn't want to play with them anymore because he misses you too much."

"He needs to have friends who will be there for him just like he needs both a mother and father that needs to be there for him." replied Spencer

"That's why we miss you so much. We miss everything about you; that you are different than other people and you don't care how they think. You perceive this world a lot different than I do and that's what makes you, you. That's why we miss you so much." told JJ

"You're never alone. You always have someone to be there for you. I'm still here for you even though I am not here." said Spencer as he stood there as the wind was picking up but his hair lay flat "If you can make sense of what I am saying anyway."

"I do. Don't worry I speak a little bit of Spencer Reid in a sense." told JJ right there

This really is hard for her knowing that her best friend is gone and is not coming back. But seeing him in a sense is helping her out, it's a great coping mechanism. She doesn't feel as sad or devastated or lonely. It feels as if his presence is giving her more energy to go on. It's not like he's really there because she knows he isn't. The dead can't walk or talk they are just dead plain and simple. But an illusion isn't real but it can reveal truths of one's self.

She stood there wondering what could have happened to Reid if he had not died in the fire. He would still be alive but could he have met his soul mate by now and be dating someone, could he be making someone smile at the moment with his witty knowledge, could he be doing something more with his life and could he still with the FBI? These are questions for sure she asks herself wondering all that what ifs, if Reid was still alive. Things would definitely be different that's for sure.

She stood there as they day wore on and it was starting to become cooler as it was becoming late. It was the afternoon but a lot of the day has gone by and there are a still few measly hours left of the day until they would leave and get some rest. But she doesn't want to leave this spot because Spencer is here in front of her and she doesn't think that the other's would believe her if she told them she saw Reid. Well maybe Derek and Hotch as they did tell her earlier that they both saw the young dead doctor. So maybe she isn't as crazy as she thinks but it's still somewhat weird.

"I just I miss you. So much I don't know how to continue to go on without you here." told JJ

"I know you can I find a way." said Spencer as he stood there

"Please don't go." muttered JJ right there

"Go where?" wondered Spencer

"Away. I don't want you to leave me." said JJ in tears

"I'm always with you." said Spencer as the light was getting brighter around him "You are never alone. You just need to find yourself and say this is me. You know who you are JJ."

"But-." JJ started

"I'm always here." told Spencer

JJ stood there as Spencer left leaving her. She didn't know what to say or do because seeing him just made her confused. Not because of him saying that she is never alone but because he was ambiguous about everything else. He didn't give advice, he didn't help out and he wasn't there to be judgmental. He was there for moral support in the illusion. He was there just to be there.

So why is she hanging on, hoping to see him again? Was he supposed to be there for something more? Or was he there just to be there? Whatever the reason was she was glad that he was there. She saw him and that's all she needed. She needed hope, leniency, support and most important of all self satisfaction. Seeing him brought back what she needed in life. She needs to know that and that she needs to share that with her son.

She knows that sometimes life is unfair and that you can be gone like that in an instant. She learned that a long time ago when her sister Rosalind took her own life. She knows that life is precious and if you take it away then why don't you go after it again.

She sighed and turned around as she ended up going into the precinct as she held onto the bag. The rest of the BAU team was waiting for her. They are probably wondering what is holding her back and taking her so long. She can't exactly say that she was talking to the dead Dr. Spencer Reid as it's impossible to speak to the dead. Some people will think she is just crazy but she already knows that both Hotch and Morgan saw him. They are unsure about Rossi though unknown if he has seen the dead doctor.

She opened the door as she entered the precinct and went over to the conference room. She closed the door behind her as she went over to the table and sat down. She put the bag in front of her on the table as the others all looked at her. She diverted her eyes away from them wanting to avoid all the blank placid stares.

* * *

It got late so the team ended up going over to a hotel even though they weren't far from home. They thought they might as well stay close to the city and scenes so they won't have to drive so far as some people are more than thirty minutes away from their for their own places.

Jill was in her own room at the moment as she was sitting on her bed and running through channels on the television. She didn't know what to do so she tried to find something on but couldn't find anything. It was either late night television ads or some stupid late night talk show. She hates everything so she turned the television off and threw the remote on the bedside nightstand.

She got up off the bed and decided to open the door to the balcony deck off her room. She got outside and sat on a deck chair as she looked out at the night sky both above and in front of her. It was amazing, dark and beautiful encrusted with stars that were gleaming and blinking down at her wondering how something so big could look so small. The sky looked like a desperate shade of black as it uttered darkness before her.

She let the night take her as the sky wrapped itself around her body as if it was lifting her up. She felt free as nothing was going to happen to her. It feels like anything could happen but still feel like there are voices but are small and in a distance.

She got shot out of it as she heard the door opening to another room and out stepped Derek Morgan. He came out into the night and sat down at a chair. She looked over at them as he didn't notice her. He seemed to be doing the same thing as her, contemplating over everything wondering what encompasses them for their future they set upon. She leaned up so he could see her more freely and she spoke in the night.

"You feel free when there is nothing to think about." said Jill

"Jill!" said Derek surprised as he looked over "I didn't know you were out here."

"I like to come out in the night and clear my head after a long day of craziness and information with new fortitude if I can." told Jill

"Sounds like a great thing to do." replied Derek right there and spoke again "Jill I am so sorry about your parents I didn't know."

"It's okay it was a long time ago." muttered Jill

"Still one shouldn't lose both their parents. Do you know where your brother is?" asked Derek

"No he could be anywhere. I've looked for him for the last couple years but I've had no luck." exclaimed Jill

"I'm so sorry about how I've been treating you. Now knowing about you're past I should never have-." started Derek

"I understand you lost a good friend who was like a brother. It would be difficult for anyone." told Jill

They stayed sitting there on the chairs outside as they looked at the sky before them. Being there feels amazing that nothing would happen and that they can't get hurt. They are striving for the days and trying to earn grace. It's like they are always crying. But they should never turn away. But they are searching; they are searching as they run for where they are in life. But even in the dead of night nothing is filled with grace. The night was swallowing the grave as it carries them farther.

In life someone always wonders who they are and they set out to discover it for themselves. But if they have someone by their sides even if it's a ghost, an angel, a memory or a figment of their imagination they will set out to endure it and figure it out. No matter how long it will take. It will be forever. It will be them. It will be like nothing can get past the impenetrable web.

Who is she? Her heart is wandering but something lights the way. Is it a star from above that is helping her find whatever it is? She feels like vapor but even when she is falling she is also flying. She is going to rise and catch herself as she falls. But if she tries she can fly. She will never be alone in this world.


	11. Thunder in Our Hearts

**Gone too Soon**

 _Hey everyone I am so sorry about getting this up late. I intended it to be up on Monday but these last days have been busy since last week since my vacation I also had a birthday in my family, did an impromptu visit to a college for a transfer, work and I was finishing up the homework and final for my college summer class. It's been hectic but I hope this next chapter makes up for all of that._

* * *

 **Chapter 11** Thunder in Our Hearts

The team entered into the precinct the next morning as they were ready to go back to the case after a nice goodnight sleep. They went into the conference room and sat down at seats all around the table while the board was off on the side.

"Okay so what do we have?" wondered Hotch right there as he opened a folder in front of him

"So our unsub is a person who plays with burnt bodies and is a pyromaniac second as the burnt bodies are his targets." said Morgan right there as he was fingering a pen that he was holding

"But how does Dr. Bellanger play into all of this then?" wondered Emily out of the blue

"And why is he running?" wondered Rossi

"Is it possible-." started Jill right there then noticed that the others all looked at her "That he's an accomplice to all of this that we are actually looking for a team of two different people. I mean we have one who likes to play with bodies and one who is a pyromaniac. I mean think about it it's weird for it to be a combination of both he would seriously crazy and out of his wits that he would have deteriorated by now and we would have caught him."

"Okay let's say there is. Which one would he be?" wondered Hotch

"Easy he's the one plays with the body. I mean look at his occupation. He's a doctor and gets look at people's body parts for a living." told Jill as she leaned back far on the chair

"So then we still need to figure out who the pyromaniac is." said Morgan as he adjusted his seat

"Has to be a friend then." said Emily

They all sat there as they looked at each other knowing what the other was thinking. Where would the doctor go now that he is on the run? Who is his friend-slash-accomplice? What is it that they are missing? There is something in their profile that they are missing on finding not just the, unsub but also in finding Dr. Bellanger.

So why aren't they going any further in this? How is it that they are at a roadblock? They sat there wondering everything they could think of about the two of them. But it was hard knowing what the truth was because something new keeps happening and turning on them. It's like whatever they have on the, unsub it becomes something that ends up being for one of them and only a few things on another unsub they are looking for. How could they have missed it? That there were two of them that they are looking for.

Hotch got out his cell phone as the others looked at him as he dialed Garcia's number. She was the only one who could help them put this into perspective.

"I thought you guys forgot about me." said Garcia right there as she answered

"Garcia apparently we are looking for a team of two. We already know that we need Dr. Bellanger but we don't know where he would go." told Hotch right there

"Okay Dr. Bellanger let's see here." said Garcia as she started typing away

"He's a doctor but doesn't have a life. He's divorced so I don't think he would go to the ex wife. But she might know something. So find out who she is." said Morgan right there

"Okay let's see divorce papers have her as Brina Coffer." said Garcia over the phone

The other's all sat there as they have now some information that could help them out. So what else could they do and figure out? They know that someone was going to have to talk to the ex-wife about him. She could even know something about him that she doesn't realize.

"Does Brina Coffer have a brother?" wondered Jill right there out of the blue

"Uh . . . yes a Dustin Coffer. Apparently after the divorce between the two Dustin and Dr. Bellanger actually become good friends." said Garcia as she was looking at her computer

"There you go." said Jill as she looked at the others as she held onto a pen in her fingers as she was rolling it "What does Dustin do?"

"Uh he's unemployed but he used to work on the business side where he worked on insurance mostly fire." told Garcia

"We've got our partner." said Rossi to them

"Where is Dustin Coffer now?" wondered Hotch

"Uh he's here in the Dale City area." told Garcia as she was typing away "I sent his address to you guys."

"Thanks baby girl." said Morgan to her

"I'm out." replied Garcia

Garcia clicked off and they all sat there around the table while they contemplated what they have. All the information they have. Now all they need to do is to go out there and find these guys. They can't get them together or something big is going to go down, something major. They all sighed as they got up where they separated into groups.

Hotch said that he and JJ were going to go talk to the doctor's ex-wife Brina Coffer, he paired Rossi and Emily together to Dustin Coffer's house to get him there while Morgan and Jill ended up together to look for the doctor himself. They went out and grabbed FBI cars as they went on their way to do their respective assignments.

* * *

Rossi and Emily drove down into a street and then went onto the driveway to the house of Dustin Coffer. They opened the doors as they stepped out then closed the car doors behind them. Emily turned to look at the house to see at as a one story house with a soft gray siding. The two of them looked at each other real quick then walked on the stone path leading to the front door. Rossi knocked on the door right there.

"Dustin Coffer FBI." said Rossi so he could hear

But they didn't hear anything at all on the other side of the door. It sounded empty. Rossi kicked down the door with his good foot then they went in with their guns out. They were pointing them as they walked all around the house with them hoping to find him there. But it seemed totally empty as he wasn't in the living room, kitchen, dining room, none of the two bedrooms or two bathrooms.

The clicked and put their guns back into their holsters. They were going to go and look around the house for some information to where Dustin might be. As they were looking they were wondering how a woman never knew that both her brother and husband were crazy and now wanted criminals by the FBI? Or that they were even working together? That she was stuck in the middle of the two crazies or maniacs.

"There's nothing I can find in here I'm going to look outside." Emily told to Rossi as she came over

She went to the front door stepping out as Rossi stayed inside to continue to look. Emily was going to look outside to see if there could be something that's helpful there. Anything is possible that could help. She looked around at the landscape to the ground then went to the bushes. Eventually she got done with it and she went over to a tree that was in the yard. She inspected it all around wondering if there could be holes or hiding spaces. She ran her hand all over the trunk and the low hanging branches where things could get hung up.

She peaked through a branch and gasped. She couldn't believe what she saw in front of her eyes. Across the street looking at her was an illusion but not just any illusion. It was of the deceased Dr. Spencer Reid her friend and fellow FBI BAU team member that lost his life in a fire-slash-explosion nearly over five months ago.

She moved away from the tree because she was starting to wonder if she was crazy. How else could she be seeing things and Spencer across the street? Why would she even be seeing him here of all places? She walked around the tree and across the street to where the illusion stood. But it was gone. She started wondering where he was and where he went. She looked around for him until she noticed he moved to the side of the house that was there. She walked over to the house until she got just mere feet away from the illusion.

She looked at him as he looked transparent but colorful and in full body mode. She noticed his light brown eyes glint for a moment. But as she lingered her eyes moved to his neck and partly to the shoulder. That's where she noticed burns on there from the fire that caused his death. He got some of those burns still up there.

"What-how are you here?" wondered Emily right there as she put her hands into her pockets

"I'm here because I'm in your heart." told Spencer

"Huh?" muttered Emily confused

"When you start thinking about someone you love and lost you feel like you start seeing them. But the thing is I'm not here for that." said Spencer as he looked at her "I'm here to help."

"Help?" replied Emily nearly shaking her head

"With the case." told Spencer

She noticed a strange grave look about him. It was nothing she has ever seen before. But this case has been hitting close to home for her for the whole time. It's because it deals with arson that the person is setting fires all around the town. Through the transparency she noticed that colors were changing all around him.

"Emily you're going to need to do something for the case that's difficult. It might be the only way to get these guys. Both Dr. Bellanger and Dustin Coffer." Explained Spencer as he moved his head to the back a little bit

"What is it?" wondered Emily

"Bait. You guys are going to have to create a fire yourselves to get those guys to come out. I think they are keeping an eye out for fires around the town that deal with vehicles." said Spencer

"I don't know if I can do it." told Emily

"You know that sometimes the best way to get guys is to catch them in the act and to do that you need to be part of the act. You know that better than anyone on the team." Responded Spencer

"This is a big risk." said Emily as she looked down to the ground

"It is but I think it's a risk worth taking." said Spencer

Emily looked back up at him and noticed he no longer looked transparent but almost fully human with an actual body. But he was scarred in the neck and shoulder area. It was so sad how he had to go. It's hard without him on the team and the team isn't the same either. She knows that he is right though. He was always smart and everything he said was always quite accurate. They might be losing their minds if they do this.

"Okay I will talk to the others." replied Emily right there "We all miss you. I miss you."

"I miss you guys as well but I'm doing okay. Just believe in anything's possible and remember . . . just think about me. If you do I will still be with you." said Spencer

"I will." said Emily

"I have to go." replied Spencer as he looked at her as he needs to save himself and to continue to heal. He died for the ones he loved on his team and his mother. He had to do this for the greater good even if it means that he can't share everything "I hope to see you again one day."

"One day." muttered Emily on repeat

He disappeared in a flash as smoke engulfed him as Emily shielded her eyes from the light and the smoke not wanting to get it in her eyes by blinding her. She looked back to see him gone. It was nice to see him even if it wasn't really him. She also knows what she and the BAU team has to do to catch these two.

She turned around as she crossed the street going back to Dustin Coffer's house. She got to the car then turned around to look at the spot where Spencer was. He was right. She needs to tell Rossi and the other's what they have to do. It was time to catch these guys in the act.


	12. Running up the Hill

**Gone too Soon**

 **Chapter 12** Running up the Hill

Hotch and JJ got outside of a small house that belongs to Brina Coffer the ex-wife of Dr. Bellanger. They opened the doors of the FBI car then stepped out then closed the doors. They walked up to the house and on a small path that leads to the front door. They stood there and knocked on the door. Moments later the door opened.

"Brina Coffer." said JJ right there

"Yeah." said Brina as she stood in the door frame to reveal a mass of curly black curls and light brown eyes

"FBI." said Hotch as both he and JJ showed her their credentials

"FBI? What's this about?" wondered Brina all of a sudden there was a crash behind the door "Nicholas what did I tell you?"

"Who's Nicholas?" wondered JJ confused

"My adopted son he's five years old. I adopted from out of the country. He's from Germany." told Brina right there "Now what did you guys want to talk to me about?"

"Your ex-husband Dr. Bellanger." said Hotch

"What about him I haven't seen heard or talked to him in over two years." replied Brina

"Can we come in?" asked Hotch

"Yeah come right in." responded Brina as she moved

Both Hotch and JJ walked through the door and took in what they saw of the house. The house seemed to be somewhat organized but a little bit of a mess with Nicholas's toys. They understood that it's hard to keep a clean house when you have a rambunctious young son at the age of five.

They walked through and got to the family room and sat down on two armchairs while Brina walked over and sat down on the couch. They noticed that she was looking at them as she crossed her legs in front of her. They were waiting until she seemed comfortable to talk.

"I know this might be hard Miss Coffer but we think that your ex-husband and your brother have been killing people around the area." said Hotch finally through the silence "They have been the cause for multiple fires."

"My brother Dustin has a thing for fires. He always has. He would set multiple off when we were growing up. He would always want to get the bonfire going or the wood burning fire in the house when we would use them. It doesn't surprise me as much that he would start to get into bouts with the law because of his affinity for fire." told Brina Coffer to them

"It doesn't surprise you then for him." said JJ

"No he has always had pyromania." muttered Brina

"From what we found out your brother and ex-husband became good friends after the divorce." replied Hotch

"Yeah they weren't as much when Dennis and I were married." told Brina

Hotch and JJ stayed there in the armchairs as they watched Brina as she was sitting. They know that they can find out a lot about a person just by looking at them. All about the ticks, the movements they do with their hands and even facial expressions. But from what they could tell and see with Brina is that she seems genuine by her responses, her facial expressions and everything. She wasn't moving her fingers or her leg while it was crossed.

Hotch and JJ looked at each other knowing that there are going to be some questions they are going to ask Brina that they weren't sure about for a response. But they are going to help them out figure things out they don't know yet about either one or where they might be.

"Brina I know you said you haven't seen your ex-husband or have heard from him in over two years but I was wondering if you know where he might be." said Hotch as he leaned forward

"I do not know." said Brina Coffer

They sat there when all of a sudden there was another crash in another room of the house and they heard a small oops. They knew that it was five year old Nicholas as he broke something in the house. It must be something that is easily breakable or something with intrinsic value. Both Hotch and JJ noticed that Brina closed her eyes knowing that her adopted son broke something else.

"He's always breaking something." muttered Brina

Brina got up and left the room leaving both Hotch and JJ sitting on the armchairs. They stayed quiet as they didn't know what to do or say. They have gotten everything out asked and answered. But what else could they ask or observe to get answers for. They wish that they just knew where to go and look but they don't know that much.

Brina came back into the family room as she was holding five year old Nicholas. They noticed that Nicholas has medium brown shaggy hair that goes in his eyes, light brown eyes and cute small dimples on his nose. He seemed to be like any other five year old boy his age mischievous giving his mother some trouble, loud and energetic.

"You know what as I can recall my ex husband would always go to his parent's old barn. They created a new one but kept the old one. It's possible that he could be there." told Brina

"Thank you, you've been a great help." said Hotch getting up and moving and playing with his suit jacket

"Of course and when you guys get both of them if you can. Can you shoot them for me? I know it's crazy to ask but they have treated me like hell both of them and well." said Brina to herself

"Don't worry Miss Coffer we will make sure that they get what they deserve in jail and that they won't be able to get near you." said JJ as she stepped forward

"Thank you." muttered Brina

Brina turned around going to the kitchen while Hotch and JJ went to the front door. They opened it up and left going outside. They walked to the FBI car and went inside. Hotch started the car and then left the house and into the streets.

* * *

Morgan and Jill were outside walking side by side. It has been interesting these last two days. They have been working a tough case of arson with a pyromaniac, a killer and a guy who likes to play with bodies. Well actually the pyromaniac is a killer and the guy who likes to play with bodies is just an accomplice.

Jill sighed and crossed her arms in front of her as she continued walking by Morgan's side. She let her green eyes become like glass and stones. Her golden blonde hair was in locks of curls at the moment going all around her face. She was born with golden blonde hair but she once dyed it to be cinnamon brown the same color as her dads.

They looked around the city going by foot hoping to find both, unsub's this way or even another fire. They think it's better to go by foot then by car. You can figure things out in a different perspective. They hope they can get a different perspective by doing it this way. Hotch paired the two of them together hoping that they can settle everything down even more.

Over the last day they started to like each other more than when she first started the trial run. Morgan didn't like her and was distant due to an agent that died on the job. It was an agent who was not only Morgan's best friend but was also like a brother. She understands as he is still in the grieving process of it all and needs time.

Jill knows that it takes time to get used to new surroundings and that when you're somewhere new you have to adapt. She has learnt to adapt since she was young as she was briefly in the foster system then got adopted by a couple named the Zellner's. When they adopted her they kept her name of Jilliana but called her Jill instead and legally changed her last name to Zellner.

She loves her adopted parents she really does but she misses her real biological parents as well. They will always be her parents even though they are no longer there. But she wants to know what happened to her baby brother wondering where he is at the moment as he could be anywhere. He could be somewhere back home in Minnesota or he could have ended up in another state let alone another country.

She noticed that Morgan was looking at her as he knew that she was both off and distant. She's not sure if she wants to talk though. It could help but it could also get in the way. She decided though on what she wants to do.

"You know that I told you about my parents." said Jill to him

"Yeah that they died. You also mention they worked for the FBI." said Morgan

"In Minnesota they were on a case and were in a shootout with some criminals and these two guys shot out a couple of bullets from their guns and it hit my parents. Head shots both of them." replied Jill as she looked at him

"Oh my god." muttered Morgan to himself

"I got placed in the foster system and eventually got adopted by a couple the Zellner's." said Jill

"So Zellner isn't your birth name?" responded Morgan

"No it's Calder it's just my adopted parents wanted me to be their actual daughter and to be a family so they legally changed it. I went along with it at that age." told Jill as she looked at the ground "I didn't know what was going on at that age anyway practically even though I'm super smart."

"I understand why they did it." said Morgan

"It's just-my brother he was only a baby when I last saw him. I don't know what happened. I've been trying to find him for a while now but with no luck. All I want is to make sure that he's doing alright for himself and that he's okay. I don't care if I'm a part of his life." explained Jill

"That's all some people want." replied Morgan

"It's because of my brief time in the foster system then getting adopted that it's hard for me to get used to change. It's also takes time to adapt to new surroundings all the time. I felt out of place when I first got here when I started my trial run." Jill continued on

"Okay." muttered Morgan to himself then looked up at her "That's why you have been a little distant and didn't like me as much at first."

"You can say that." retorted Jill

"Alright part of that is my fault." Morgan admitted as he put his hands up

"I know you didn't mean it though. You were just grieving." said Jill

She looked around to see that they were at a park, not a park per se where there's a playground. It was a park where there are trees, a picnic area and lots of recreational area to play around. She stopped to take a look at it taking it all in as it reminds her of home of Minnesota. There are so many areas in the twin cities that are like that where you can relax and play but there's no playground.

Her favorite areas back home were always those parks, the lakes, the lakes that hold beaches and you can walk around them. Areas in general, where, you can get away from all the hustle and bustle of the cities. It's nice to relax and get real fresh air that doesn't include tall buildings and busy streets. But in Minnesota there are an infinite of possibilities of things to do so you can never get bored.

She turned around where she saw a car stalled right behind them as it was watching them. She squinted to see who was in there but it was hard to tell who it could be. But then the person inside moved and she realized that it was the Dr. Bellanger who was there. He had been following them.

"Morgan!" shouted Jill

"What?" replied Morgan right by her as he covered his ears in response to her shouting

"Run! Move!" told Jill

They both ran away from the car as it drove fast at them. It passed them nearly hitting them but Morgan went to the side of a sidewalk getting away from it. Jill found herself on the other side of the sidewalk pinned with someone on top of her. She looked up to see who her savior was.

"Jill are you . . . okay?" said Derek getting up and came over to her and saw the identity of her savior "Oh my god!"


	13. Bring me to Life

**Gone too Soon**

 _Hey everyone I'm getting the next chapter up. I hope you guys enjoy it because the story is almost done. After this chapter there is only two chapters left of the story but I will say thank you to all the people who have both favorite and followed the story. It has been a lot of fun writing this story even though I have blockages in almost every chapter. Well here you guys go._

* * *

 **Chapter 13** Bring me to Life

Right beside Jill was a guy who is just only a little over six years older than her. He has a short kind of messy brown hair, light brown eyes and a textbook savvy look about him. There were black sunglasses in his hand and the black hood off his head. It was Spencer Reid alive.

"But-." said Derek nearly in outrage

"Look I know you're mad." said Spencer getting up as Jill followed suit

"Of course I am. We thought you were dead that your body was burnt to a crisp to make it indefinable. We buried you." said Derek in outrage still as he saw his best friend who is practically like a brother to him

"I know but it was the only way, witness protection had to." told Spencer

"Witness protection?" repeated Derek confused

"Yes. They planted every single fire and I had to get in the forth one. It had been planned for two weeks." said Spencer

"That's why you were-. It was because of this. But why?" wondered Derek

"Look they found me with an old friend of mine from high school. He was one of few people who were nice to me. His name is Braylon Marve." said Spencer right there as he looked at his old co-worker "He has an empire. I never knew about until too late. He's still at large and I became a target of his. I'm actually target number one if I'm not mistaken."

"So they had to place you under witness protection but say that you died in the process. Leaving the rest of us to grieve your supposed death, a death that took me hard. I couldn't trust anyone and wouldn't let anyone in. We should have known about it Reid." retorted Morgan in complete outrage

"I'm sorry. But Braylon needs to think I'm dead so he won't come after me." said Spencer

"Why does that name sound familiar?" replied Morgan

"It doesn't matter I'm supposed to be at a safe house at the moment here in Virginia. But I'm getting relocated as they found for somewhere for me to go." said Spencer

"But Jill, what about her?" wondered Derek still pissed

"He saved me. I found out what happened by accident in that explosion I was in. He and WITSEC ordered me into the academy for training." told Jill

"I'm sorry but they needed to convince everyone I'm dead. The FBI director insisted I'd be under the best care." told Spencer

Jill stood there as she looked between Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid as Derek just found out his best friend who is like a little brother is alive. She has been a part of it herself. But Derek seems more; mad at Spencer than her over anything. He's mad that he didn't know the truth or that anyone knew for that matter.

Derek will admit that he's happy that Spencer is alive but mad and pissed at the same time that he wasn't allowed to know the truth. He does know all about WITSEC though that people in them need to find a way to disappear and they usually do that by pretending they are dead. The people in WITSEC need to be under the care of someone and stay in hiding either for a small amount of time; a long amount of time or in some cases its forever. So what's going to happen to Spencer? Is it going to be for a short time? A long time? Or will it be forever? He's not sure if he could handle it to be forever even if he knows the truth now. He wouldn't be able to see his best friend anymore. He's going to end up anywhere in the states and can't have contact with him. Plus he's going to be the only one on the team who knows the truth. He won't be able to tell the rest of the team what's happening.

The one thing Derek was worried about is where Spencer is going to end up and if he's going to be alright. He wonders who is going to be watching Spencer. Is it someone who is going to slip up and tell of his location? Or will it be of someone who will be doing everything in their power to keep the kid safe?

But then another thought popped into his head. How was it possible that Spencer kept popping up to everyone to talk to all of them? If he's alive how was he doing it? Was it his magician powers that people say that a magician never reveals his secrets? Or was it something else, something that he learned throughout the years?

But now he was going to have to say goodbye to his best friend again. But this time he knows that he's alive. It makes it harder knowing that Spencer is alive and that he might be saying goodbye for forever.

"The FBI director knew." said Morgan finally

"The fires and explosion was the director's idea. They signed off on it knowing that they were going to be involved in the case." told Spencer to him

"Where . . . um, where are they relocating you?" Morgan faltered as he asked the question

"Jill's home state of Minnesota." said Spencer right there

"Minnesota?" muttered Jill

"Yeah you are going to have to relocate back home. You won't be in the BAU after your trial run." told Spencer

"Of course you knew about that." muttered Jill to herself as she crossed her arms over her chest

"When do you leave?" asked Morgan to his best friend

"Tomorrow morning." answered Spencer

They all stood there out in the open which was a bad idea for Spencer to be in the open as he grabbed his hood and put it over his head. He dropped the top of the hood over his eyes to stay out of prying eyes. He risked his life and everything by coming out in the open by saving Jill. It was a risk that he took and he's not sure if anything major happened. Spencer was running around in circles in his mind.

Jill closed her eyes wondering if the case would still be going. Would she have to leave in the middle of the case? She has to go back to her place and pack everything back on up. She arrived from Minnesota about a year ago and is now going back. She has to help babysit the young kid genius even though he is older than her and she is a genius herself in her own right.

Although it has sunk in with the truth Derek is still mad that Spencer Reid had to fake his own death. But he's going to have to accept it. He was ecstatic that Spencer's alive. It's going to take more time for him to accept the whole thing. He's going to have to understand it especially since someone who was gaining a name in the underground was going after Spencer. That it made Spencer Reid a target with a giant red pointer, pointing and flashing lights right at the kid. The only way for Spencer to get rid of that was to apparently _die_ then go into hiding with the help of Witness Protection.

He remembers when Emily Prentiss faked her death as well. It was because of Ian Doyle. She had good reason to fake her death and go into hiding. When Emily turned up alive all of them were shocked, surprise and for some ecstatic. It took a little while for Derek to get used to and understand it. But it took Spencer a lot longer. Now Spencer is the one on the end of faking a death but Witness Protection is involved in this one. This one has something bigger at play. There's a lot bigger target on Spencer than on Emily. There is an empire under this Braylon guy and everyone under the guy is helping targeting Spencer.

"Is it possible if I could meet you guys tomorrow and say some final goodbyes?" wondered Derek as he was rubbing his shoulder

"Of course." said Spencer in retaliation

"We will determine where to meet." said Jill as she looked from Spencer to Morgan and back to Spencer "Thank you for saving me."

She touched his shoulder for a moment and looked into his light brown eyes. She then walked over to Morgan as they started walking. They were going to go back to the precinct. Jill turned around for a moment to take a quick glance at Spencer who smiled and put on the sunglasses. He then walked off going somewhere as Jill turned back around as she continued to walk forward.

* * *

The rest of the team was at the precinct as they just got Dr. Bellanger and Dustin Coffer got caught. They got Emily to go undercover to pretend to be caught in a fire in a car. Both Dustin Coffer and Dr. Bellanger were intrigued and they went to the sight of the scene almost immediately.

They were sitting at the table in the conference room as they were done with the case. But they were waiting for Derek Morgan and Jill Zellner to come back before they go back to the FBI building. It was taking a while as they didn't know what was going on and taking them so long. It was like something held them up.

Finally they looked up to see that they were back from their adventure for looking for Dustin and Dr. Bellanger. But it was them who got to the two of them first. But they noticed something was off with them.

"What's going on? We know you didn't get the doctor or Dustin because we did. So what is it?" wondered Emily as she looked at them

"The test run was fun but the thing is I'm needed back home in Minnesota." told Jill to them

"What?" replied Hotch right there

"But why?" wondered Rossi confused

"I got a call from my adopted parents they need my help. So I'm just going to be transferring out there." told Jill

"Well it was great working with you for the last two days." said Rossi getting up

"We're going to miss you." said JJ as well

"When do you leave?" asked Emily

"Early tomorrow morning." told Jill

"So we have tonight to do something before you leave." said Emily

"Let's go." said JJ

Both Emily and JJ grabbed Jill's elbows and arms as they dragged her out of the precinct. They were going to bring the young female out to enjoy time in Washington DC before she officially leaves. She looked behind her and the guys of the BAU and mouthed help to them but they just smiled.

About thirty minutes later the whole BAU team entered into a bar together so they can celebrate when Jill departs. It was only two days with her but she grew on all of them. They hope that one day she will come back to them and help them out with other cases.

But she couldn't tell them that she wasn't sure, only because she is in league with the Witness Protection Program. She helps other people go into the program and help them settle into it. But she is with someone in particular as she is part of the team for Spencer Reid. He's a big target and she is practically a babysitter to him. She sighed as Operation Blackbird has hardly taken effect and it's going to take a lot of work.

She smiled at the others as they ordered a round of shots for her. She grabbed her shot and downed it quickly. She then ordered a strong Lager as she drinks them as often as she can. The others all ordered their drinks as well. They were surprised when she ordered the Lager as it doesn't seem like her as it was so unexpected. But it is part of her heritage in a way as her adopted parents are German and they drink it.

But she grabbed it and started drinking it as she talked with the rest of the BAU team as she smiled. She brought the drink in the air as she knows that life is weird in so many ways. But she knows anything can happen especially in the future. The future holds so many possibilities.


	14. New Road

**Gone too Soon**

 _Hey everyone I am so sorry about the long update for this chapter. It's just I've been having writers blockage at for the last week or so that I haven't know what to write for it. There have been a couple different titles for this chapter but I finally landed on one that I liked and fits. But I finally have something for this chapter. It will be shorter than the other chapters I know but it's all I have. Also just so you know my new semester just started so my updates are going to be shorter for any of my stories as I now have classes and my job. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Read and Review if you can. I would love them. So here it goes with the second to last chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter 14** New Road

Jill sighed as she was in her apartment packing her things. She has been in the apartment for not even a week. Now she is leaving it because she is going back home to her home state. She is bringing Spencer Reid with her. She knows that she should be happy to be going home but she's going to miss it here. She's going to miss the people at the BAU. It's like she became friends with them really quickly.

She really likes all of them now she has to go home. She told them that she was going back to Minnesota because of her parents. She's lying to the BAU on why she was leaving. The only person who knows the truth is Derek Morgan as he found out the truth by accident. But Spencer is actually glad that Morgan now knows the truth.

Morgan was furious for sure that he never knew the truth as to why Spencer Reid faked his death. But it was the government who helped him out as he's now a target. So his hiding in the shadows in Washington DC is now over as he's getting relocated. She's bringing him to Minnesota.

She's going to be working with the FBI in Minnesota herself as she put in for a transfer. She's going to be working with the Violent Crimes in Minnesota instead for the BAU so she's going to be CID instead. Although technically he's supposed to be dead the FBI director winged it so Spencer can also work in there as well as he's not going to like being all cooped up in a house monitored by the US Marshalls Service.

She got back from a nice night out with Emily, JJ, Hotch, Rossi and Morgan who all bought her drinks. They hate to say goodbye to her but they know they were going to have to. They think she is going back to be with her adopted parents. She can't exactly say that she is helping out the Marshall Service to conceal someone who is thought to be dead. Especially if that someone was once part of the BAU team. It would compromise her position and everything else. So she can't say anything.

She was tearing everything down that was on the walls, taking things out of cabinets and hiding places. She opened up the closets and grabbed things out. The night was the only time for her to get everything out and packed. She has a lot to go through in such a short time and all she has is herself to do it. She grabbed another box and started placing more items in the box.

All of a sudden there was a knock on her apartment door. She straightened up wondering who it could be. She didn't tell anyone where her apartment even was. She snuck a look through an eyehole at her door and sighed. She placed her hand on the handle opening it up.

"I thought you were some maniac." said Jill thrusting the door open to reveal Spencer

He walked in the door into the apartment as she closed the door behind him. He looked around the place.

"I never knew where you would have lived would have been here." said Spencer as he looked around

"I've been packing up my stuff to go back home. I've barely even been here ever since the fire." told Jill as she placed her hands on her waist

"Yeah it's a pity." muttered Spencer

"Why did you come here anyway aren't you supposed to be at the safe house?" responded Jill

"They let me come here and help you out." told Spencer as he walked around a table "They thought as long as it was you it was fine. I just need to keep my head low and hidden."

"I understand how you miss your friends the BAU agents. I'm going to miss them as well." told Jill

Spencer got up and went over grabbing her things as he started helping her put things away. She smiled as he nudged her in the shoulder. She shot him a weird look. She then grabbed a box filled with bubble wrap and tissue paper and dropped the contents over Spencer's head. She stepped back laughing at the look on his face.

"Oh you think that's funny do you?" said Spencer

What ended up being a onetime thing ended up being a lot crazier. They grabbed more soft things around the apartment throwing them at each other. Normally it wouldn't be something that Spencer would do as it's out of character but she winds him down for some odd reason. That it seems as though she's the reason that he's doing this.

Jill went tumbling over to the sink and looked at it. She turned on the sink and turned on the hose dispenser to clean the dishes by taking it out. She shot water right at Spencer right there as he spluttered all the water out. He retaliated by grabbing it out of her hands and shot the water back at her.

Jill started to notice that Spencer was starting to unwind even more. She was wondering if that was her doing at all. They have known each other for just over five months and yet the get along like glue. Maybe it was because they were both smart and geniuses in their own right. Or was it their two different personalities that were similar. She wasn't sure but whatever it is she wants it to keep going.

After a few hours things started to settle down and she was sitting on the couch while looking up at the ceiling. She was exhausted after their play fight and was ready to move on. She sighed as she looked at the empty room around her to see that it was different.

Maybe change wasn't a bad thing. She's going to be going home to Minnesota. She's going to be seeing her adopted parents again who will be glad to have her closer. But now maybe there's a chance she can find her brother. He's still out there somewhere waiting to be found. She wants to be with him again as they are family by flesh and blood.

She is on a whole new road. A road she never would have thought when she was younger. It was part of a time when she lost her real parents. But she can make a difference. Not only that but she is a difference. Now that difference, is what she needs for this new road, this new life and this new her. She is ready for the future ahead of her.


	15. This is not Goodbye

**Gone too Soon**

 _Hey everyone I love how everyone has been following and has favorite the story but now this story has come to its end in this chapter. I know I know but wait until you see the footnote at the end of the chapter. It will tell you some news I hope that it helps and that answers some questions._

* * *

 **Chapter 15** This is not Goodbye

Morning had finally come and Spencer and Jill were outside of a private jet that was bringing them to Minnesota. Normally one would have to take a normal plane to get to another state under witness protection but they are doing this under orders. It's so they can transfer Spencer out and get him to his new safe house out there. Well they are saying it's a safe house but it's a house that he's going to be living in that the US Marshall's procured.

A lot of the boxes were already on their way to the state via a company in a truck. It was holding all of Jill's things in it and anything that Spencer has got over the past five months. He can't use any of his old things so he had to get a lot of new stuff which he wasn't very keen on. But he knows that he has to learn to adapt.

They stood there as the jet or plane was getting ready. A car came up to the jet and the door opened. Derek Morgan got out of the car then started walking over to the two of them. It was time to officially say goodbye to him. But this time Morgan was getting a better sense of closure knowing that his best friend who is like a brother is alive. But he won't be able to see him at all.

Derek Morgan then stopped as he got to the two of them. He stood there then hugged Jill first as she stood there in the hug. She stepped back to see that both Morgan and Reid were hugging as well. She could tell that both of them were having a tough time having to leave the other as they are best friends practically like brothers to one another. They let go of the hug and Reid stepped back by Jill.

"I guess this is goodbye." said Derek right there

"At least you know the truth." responded Spencer Reid

"It still hurts though knowing that you're alive but having to say goodbye all over again." told Derek

"It was great knowing you for the time but I have to go into official hiding now and get out of harm's way. Until this blows over if it ever does. I don't know if it will." exclaimed Spencer to the older agent

"This is what you were talking about with Operation Black Bird weren't you. It's an operation based on both you and Braylon Marve isn't it?" responded Derek

"Yes it is. It's unavoidable at the moment. They have some agents undercover infiltrating his gang and empire hoping to foil it. They are going to need everything to bring him down. But I don't know if they will. He is too well connected and protected. So far now I'm dead to him." told Spencer

"We need to go." said Jill as she touched his arm as the jet was all ready for them

"I will be right there." replied Spencer

Jill smiled as she ended up walking over to the jet and up the stairs then through the door. She entered as Spencer stayed outside and looked right at Derek Morgan who stood there watching him. Spencer placed his hands in his pants pockets and diverted his eyes away to the ground.

"Good luck." said Morgan right there

"Thanks." muttered Spencer in response but still looking at the ground "I really am sorry about everything in the past five months."

"No don't. I know now that there was a reason. I missed you and I'm going to miss you but the truth is a lot harder than I thought it would be." replied Morgan

"This is not goodbye." responded Spencer as he looked at his friend "I need to go."

Spencer started walking away going to the jet to go inside. It seems to him that Minnesota is light years away. He's not lost but he's going to miss Washington DC and Virginia. They have become his home for the last eight years and now he's leaving. He's leaving everything he knows behind. He's leaving Derek Morgan. He's leaving the BAU team who, all know and think that he's dead.

"Spencer." said Derek Morgan

Spencer turned around to look at him wondering what he was going to say to him. He stood there in place.

"You should know that I've noticed how Jill looks at you and how you kind of look at her." told Derek Morgan

"What?" replied Spencer flabbergasted "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not stupid to know that you have feelings for each other. Don't take too long to go after her. I saw it the day you were talking to her and hiding your face. Both of you are denying it. Just . . . you deserve to be happy." explained Derek as he moved his stance

"You coming?" wondered Jill as she came out on the stairs and looking at the two of them

"Yeah." said Spencer to her as she smiled and went back inside the jet. Spencer then turned around to face Derek. "Thanks Derek. Good luck."

"You to buddy." replied Derek Morgan

Spencer smiled at him and genially waved. He then walked over to the jet going up the stairs. He looked back at Derek Morgan one last time knowing this might just be the last time he sees his best friend who is also like a brother. He sighed then stepped forward going inside the private jet. He noticed that Jill was standing in the aisle waiting for him.

They walked forward and got to seats sitting down on them. They noticed that Agent Parker Roebuck was sitting on another seat. He looked up at them as they were ready to leave. Agent Roebuck got up from the spot and went over to them as he sat across from them.

"You ready Spencer?" asked Agent Roebuck

"Yeah." said Spencer back at him

"Alright we're off." said Agent Roebuck

The jet started going off. Both Spencer and Jill looked out of the window off on the side and noticed that Derek Morgan was still out there standing, staring at the jet. They smiled at him and noticed that Derek walked back to the car going inside and was off going to the FBI that BAU's headquarters. Jill looked back at Spencer right there.

They are now off to a different life, one where Spencer is now in full blown Witness Protection where she is his protector. While she looks up to Agent Roebuck where she informs him of anything if he ever needs it. They are going to be working for the FBI in Minnesota.

It's crazy as they were in a game with Spencer Reid as the target. But he's not alone in it. He has both Jill and Agent Roebuck. He wouldn't know what to do if he didn't have them. He's still here and he's going to be okay. At least he thinks he's going to be okay.

This is a journey and start of a whole new chapter for him. He knows that with Jill by his side this journey is going to be an adventure. An adventure that has no beginning or end just one that continues on. An adventure that they aren't looking for but it's going to be there.

They were now in the air and they are going to be flying for about two hours now. Agent Roebuck got up from the spot and went back to his old one to look at a file. He was in here to see them off in Minnesota then go back to Washington DC but Jill is still going to be contact with him.

Jill sighed and looked out the window not believing she was going back to her home state. She didn't think that was going to happen. But her adopted parents are happy about it. She looked back and saw that Spencer put his hand out to hers. She looked down at it and then back at Spencer.

She smiled at him knowing that everything is going to be okay. Maybe things are going to be okay. They were now off to a different life.

* * *

 **To be continued . . . in Gone to Soon: The Secret of Now**


End file.
